Find similar notes (lexical-hybrid)

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

Annotations declare readOnly and idempotent, and the description adds performance details (O(N) over vault), internal scoring logic, and version 3.10 enhancements (age_days, stale flag), going well beyond annotation coverage.

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?

The description is a concise paragraph of five sentences, front-loading the core purpose, then detailing signals, performance, and version updates without redundancy.

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?

While no output schema exists, the description mentions individual signal scores and new fields (age_days, stale). It lacks explicit return format details but is sufficient for an agent to use the tool effectively.

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?

Input schema has 100% coverage with clear descriptions. The description adds context about scoring and re-ranking but does not substantially extend parameter understanding beyond the schema.

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 explicitly states the tool finds similar notes using structural signals (tag overlap, title 3-gram, shared links, co-backlinks), distinguishing it from semantic search or graph traversal tools among siblings.

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 advises 'for vaults >5k notes prefer batching,' indicating when to use with caution. However, it does not explicitly state when not to use this tool versus siblings like obsidian_search or obsidian_get_note_neighbors.

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