BIOS settings

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

Annotations already cover read-only, idempotent and closed-world, so the bar is lower. The description still adds real value beyond them: it discloses that pending changes for the next reboot are included in the response, and warns that describe=true is 'slow the first time' — a performance trait not present in any structured field.

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 sentences, zero filler. The core read behavior leads, and the conditional describe behavior with its performance caveat follows in a parenthetical that stays out of the way.

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?

With no output schema and no annotations about return size, the description carries the return-value burden and does say what the payload contains. It doesn't say whether omitting all filters returns every BIOS attribute, which matters for a potentially large read.

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 coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3; the description goes beyond by framing the filters as two modes (free text vs exact names) and by tying describe=true to its cost and to what it adds (allowed values and help text). It stops short of showing how the filters combine.

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?

States a specific verb ('Read') and resource ('current BIOS settings'), and enumerates what comes back: attribute names/values plus pending-for-next-reboot changes. The resource is naturally distinct from siblings like idrac_boot_settings, though no sibling is named explicitly.

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?

The description implies when the two filter modes apply ('filtered by text or exact names') and when to set describe=true, but it never says when to use this tool over idrac_boot_settings or idrac_get, nor any exclusions. Usage is inferable rather than stated.

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