wp_deactivate_plugin

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. 'Deactivate' makes the state-changing nature clear and the safe-mode confirm note is a genuinely useful operational detail, but consequences, reversibility, permission requirements, and error behavior are never mentioned.

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 zero redundancy. The core action is front-loaded in the first sentence and the only non-obvious invocation detail is appended second.

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 simple two-parameter state-change tool, the description covers the essential action and highlights the one operational trap (safe mode confirm requirement). There is no output schema to clarify return values, but the outcome of a deactivation is largely self-evident, so the gap is minor.

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 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description's reference to slug and confirm:true merely mirrors what the schema already states ('Plugin file path relative to wp-content/plugins/', 'Required when safe mode is enabled') without adding new format, default, or edge-case detail.

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 'Deactivate a plugin by slug' pairs a specific verb with a specific resource and states the identification mechanism. It is immediately distinguishable from the inverse sibling wp_activate_plugin and from read-only siblings like wp_list_plugins, even without reading schemas.

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?

Aside from the safe-mode confirm prerequisite, there is no guidance on when to select this tool over alternatives. The description never names wp_activate_plugin as the inverse operation or suggests when deactivation is appropriate, so an agent gets no routing help among the large sibling set.

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