obs-start-record

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries full burden but offers zero behavioral disclosure. It doesn't indicate whether this is a read-only or mutating operation, what permissions are required, whether it's idempotent, what happens if recording is already active, or what side effects occur. The single phrase provides no useful behavioral context.

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 extremely concise (three words) but suffers from under-specification rather than effective brevity. While it's front-loaded with the core action, the single phrase fails to earn its place by providing insufficient value beyond the tool name itself.

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?

Given the complexity of OBS recording operations and the absence of both annotations and an output schema, the description is completely inadequate. It doesn't explain what 'starting record output' entails, what success/failure looks like, or how this interacts with the broader OBS ecosystem. For a tool that presumably initiates a critical recording function, this minimal description leaves too many unanswered questions.

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 has zero parameters with 100% schema description coverage, so the schema fully documents the absence of inputs. The description doesn't need to compensate for any parameter gaps, making a baseline score of 4 appropriate since no parameter information is required beyond what the schema already provides.

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 'Starts the record output' is a tautology that essentially restates the tool name 'obs-start-record' without adding meaningful specificity. It doesn't clarify what 'record output' means in the OBS context or distinguish this tool from siblings like 'obs-start-stream' or 'obs-start-virtual-cam' that also initiate outputs.

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 provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. There's no mention of prerequisites (e.g., whether recording must be configured first), conditions for use, or relationships to sibling tools like 'obs-stop-record', 'obs-pause-record', or 'obs-toggle-record'.

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