splunk_get_dashboard

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full behavioral burden and does it thinly. It implies a read-only fetch, but 'XML or JSON' suggests a selectable format with no corresponding parameter and no explanation of how the format is determined — a genuine ambiguity for the caller.

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 tight sentences plus a short Args block, front-loaded with the core action. No filler, though the Args block largely duplicates what the schema already declares.

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?

An output schema exists so return values needn't be described, and the tool is a simple 2-param read. Still, the XML/JSON format question and the missing-namespace behavior are unresolved, and with zero annotations the description should be doing more of that work.

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 must compensate; it does partially by glossing 'name' as 'Dashboard view name/id' and 'app' as 'Optional app namespace'. However it does not explain what happens when 'app' is omitted (default namespace?) or what form the name/id takes, leaving real gaps.

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?

Names a specific verb ('Retrieve') and resource ('dashboard') with scope ('full XML or JSON definition'), which distinguishes it from siblings like splunk_list_dashboards (summaries) and splunk_update_dashboard (writes). It stops short of naming an alternative explicitly, but the distinction is still inferable.

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?

No guidance on when to use this versus splunk_list_dashboards or splunk_get_app_details, and no prerequisites or follow-up steps mentioned. The agent must infer usage entirely from the tool name.

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