list_categoriesRetrieve product categories with descriptions and item counts to help users browse a wholesale surgical instrument catalog and choose relevant product groups.
List the product categories with descriptions and product counts.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| categories | Yes |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v1.0.0Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint=true, so safety and repeatability are covered. The description adds that each category carries a description and a product count, but since an output schema exists that presumably documents these fields, the added value is modest. Nothing is said about auth or whether the list is exhaustive.
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 short sentence with no filler, and the resource and returned fields are front-loaded. Every word earns its place.
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 zero-parameter enumeration tool with rich read-only annotations and an output schema, the description covers what an agent needs in order to call it. It could only be improved by noting whether all categories are returned in one call or whether the result set is bounded.
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, which is the stated baseline of 4 when there is no parameter semantics to explain. The empty input schema is consistent with the description's 'list everything' framing.
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 ("List") with a specific resource ("product categories") and even previews the payload ("with descriptions and product counts"). It does not explicitly distinguish itself from siblings like search_products or get_product, but the operation is unambiguous on its own.
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?
There is no explicit statement of when to use this tool versus search_products or any other sibling, nor any exclusion guidance. Because the tool takes zero parameters and performs a single obvious enumeration, the usage is strongly implied rather than stated.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.