Cloud patrol reply log

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

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive and closed-world, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds value beyond that with the 1-7 day retention window and the shape of what comes back (target post plus reply text) - important since there is no output schema. It stops short of describing ordering, volume or the behavior when days is omitted.

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 sentences, zero filler: scope first, then the applicability condition. Both sentences carry information the schema and annotations do not.

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 two-parameter read-only tool with no output schema, the definition covers the window, the returned fields and the trigger condition well. Small gaps remain around default days, ordering and result volume, but nothing blocks a correct call.

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 100%, so both parameters are already documented, and the description's "last 1 to 7 days" only restates the schema's "1-7" range for days. Nothing is added about the default value when days is omitted or about account_id's format.

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 (lists replies sent by cloud patrol) plus explicit scope (last 1-7 days, with target post and reply text). The 'sent' framing implicitly separates it from list_pending_replies, but it never names that sibling, so the differentiation is left to inference.

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?

"Applies when the user wants to read what was actually said" gives a clear invocation condition and usefully contrasts past/sent content against a prospective action. No exclusions or explicit alternatives are given, so an agent must still decide on its own between this and list_pending_replies or cloud_patrol_stats.

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