List your TikTok posts

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

Beyond the readOnlyHint annotation, the description discloses automatic pagination past TikTok's 20-per-page limit, newest-first ordering, and an API limitation that private/draft videos are inaccessible. This gives an agent useful expectations about scope and behavior that are not visible from annotations alone.

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?

Three short sentences with no filler: the core output and ordering are front-loaded, followed by pagination and visibility caveats. Every sentence contributes information beyond the tool's title.

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, the description covers what is returned, ordering, pagination, and visibility limits, while the schema covers all parameters. It is slightly incomplete on sibling differentiation—there is no guidance for choosing among get_videos, top_videos, or search_my_videos—but the invocation context is otherwise sufficient.

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?

The description itself adds no parameter-level explanation, but the input schema covers all three parameters (limit, cursor, account) with 100% coverage, including the milliseconds-vs-seconds warning and default account behavior. Since the schema carries the semantic load, the description does not need to compensate.

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 uses a specific verb ('list') and resource ('your public TikTok posts'), and states the returned metrics (views, likes, comments, shares, engagement rate) and ordering ('newest first'). It is clear but does not explicitly distinguish itself from sibling tools such as get_videos or top_videos.

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 usage context by specifying what the tool returns and its ordering, and it gives a clear exclusion: 'Only public posts appear: TikTok's API cannot see private or draft videos.' However, it never names alternatives like get_videos or search_my_videos, so there is no explicit when-to-use-this-vs-that guidance.

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