List backups

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, so safety needs no explanation. The description adds the useful 'newest first' ordering and the fact that snapshots are local (slightly at odds with openWorldHint=true, though not a direct contradiction). It says nothing about pagination behavior, whether 'limit' truncates silently, or what a snapshot record contains.

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 short sentences, zero filler, with the ordering guarantee and the ID format both front-loaded where an agent will read them.

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 simple read-only list tool with no output schema, the description covers resource, ordering, and the trickiest parameter's format. Missing only the filtering semantics (does 'id' scope the list?) and how 'limit' behaves at the boundary, which keeps it short of complete.

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 only 33%, so the description must compensate; it partially does by explaining the exact 'id' format for both GA4 property IDs and GTM '<accountId>-<containerId>'. The 'platform' enum and the 'limit' default are left to the schema, and the interaction between 'id', 'platform', and 'limit' is never clarified.

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 the local snapshots') plus ordering ('newest first'), which is more than the title's 'List backups'. It implicitly separates itself from backup_read, but never names that sibling, so an agent must infer the list-vs-fetch split.

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?

Usage is only implied: the presence of an 'id' parameter and a sibling backup_read suggest 'list here, then read details there', but the description never says when to use this versus backup_read or whether omitting 'id' lists across all properties. No exclusions or prerequisites are stated.

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