kde_audio_list

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds useful behavioral context by disclosing that it reflects live state and enumerates which device properties are surfaced, but it says nothing about error conditions (e.g., no running PipeWire session) or whether stream data requires an active playback.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two short sentences with the capability and its returned fields front-loaded, followed by the prerequisite. Nothing is padded or repeated.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a read-only list tool with no output schema, the description carries the return-value burden and does so by enumerating the categories of data returned. It falls short only on edge-case behavior (empty results, unavailable session), which would matter for a tool whose whole job is reporting live state.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description compensates by naming the sole parameter and its required value (session='user-desktop'). It is still redundant with the schema's const constraint, but it confirms the value is mandatory rather than defaulted, which is the key semantic an agent needs.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description opens with a specific verb ("List") and names the exact resource domain plus the fields returned: live PipeWire outputs, inputs, defaults, volume/mute, and active output streams. That enumeration clearly separates it from the mutating siblings (kde_audio_set_volume, kde_audio_set_mute, kde_audio_route_stream) without needing to name them.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Usage is implied rather than stated: an agent can infer this is the read/inspection step before calling the set_* mutators, but the description never says so. The only explicit guidance is the session prerequisite, which is already enforced by the schema's const.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.