logcat

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds useful scope context (results are 'recent', filterable by app and to errors only), but says nothing about volume limits, truncation, or how log lines are ordered.

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?

A single compact sentence with the resource front-loaded and the usage cue following. No filler, though the colon-dependent clause structure slightly buries the filtering semantics.

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 format need not be described, and annotations cover the safety profile. For a low-complexity four-param read tool the description is nearly sufficient; only the serial and lines parameters remain opaque to the agent.

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 0% for all four params, so the description carries the burden and only partially meets it: 'one app's lines' maps to package and 'only errors' maps to errors_only, while lines and serial are left entirely unexplained in both description and 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?

States a specific resource (recent system log) with explicit scope modifiers ('optionally only one app's lines and only errors'). It is clearly distinguishable from the device-automation siblings since none of them retrieve diagnostics, though it never states this distinction explicitly.

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 a concrete trigger context — 'the place to look when an app crashes' — which tells the agent when this tool is the right choice. No alternatives or exclusion conditions are named, but none of the siblings overlap meaningfully, so little is left to inference.

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