Start database backup restore flow

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

Annotations already declare this is a non-read-only, non-idempotent, open-world operation, so the safety profile is partially covered. The description meaningfully adds that the call flips Immich into maintenance mode (a server-wide state change) and requires an unconfigured instance, which is context not present in the annotations.

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 lines, front-loaded with the action and its side effect, with the endpoint/tag metadata last. The first line restates the title verbatim, a minor redundancy, but overall there is little waste.

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 no-parameter admin action with annotations covering its safety profile and no output schema, the description covers the essential facts: what it does, the maintenance-mode side effect, and the unconfigured-instance prerequisite. It could optionally state the follow-on step (uploading the backup) but nothing critical is missing to invoke it.

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 tool takes zero parameters, so there is nothing for the description to disambiguate; the baseline for a parameterless tool is 4. Schema coverage is 100% and the description correctly implies nothing about inputs.

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 pairs a specific verb ('Start') with a specific resource ('database backup restore flow') and adds the operational effect: Immich is put into maintenance mode to restore a backup. It is clear what the tool does, though it does not explicitly contrast itself with neighboring tools such as immich_upload_database_backup or immich_set_maintenance_mode.

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?

It supplies one real precondition ('Immich must not be configured'), which is genuinely useful usage context. However, it gives no alternatives or sequencing guidance despite a dense sibling set (immich_list_database_backups, immich_upload_database_backup, immich_set_maintenance_mode) that an agent must choose among to complete a restore.

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