List pages by lifecycle state

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description still adds real behavior beyond that: it discloses the return shape (plain text, match count first), a hard cap of 50 lines, the 'last_updated path - title' line format, and newest-first ordering. Only the on-disk pagination escape hatch (how to see beyond 50) is left unstated.

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?

Four short sentences with zero filler: purpose, return format, safety, then routing to siblings. Each sentence carries distinct information, and the core purpose is front-loaded before the operational details.

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?

There is no output schema, and the description compensates by describing the return text, its fields, ordering, and truncation limit. Combined with annotations covering read-only behavior and a single fully-documented enum parameter, nothing an agent needs to call this correctly is missing.

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% and the enum already lists all five states, so the baseline is 3. The description goes further by tying states to intent – 'stale' or 'draft' are the ones that surface pages needing updates – which is meaning not present in the schema's 'Which lifecycle state to filter by.'

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 and resource ('List wiki pages whose frontmatter lifecycle equals state') plus the exact filter dimension, which distinguishes it from wiki_search (content search), wiki_query, and wiki_category_browse. An agent can tell immediately what universe of results to expect.

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?

Gives explicit positive guidance ('use stale or draft to find pages to update') and names a concrete alternative with its distinct purpose ('use wiki_dashboard to see how many pages are in each state'). The when-to-use boundary is fully resolvable without opening another schema.

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