get_download_url

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

Annotations only carry readOnlyHint=true, but the description adds substantial behavior beyond them: the URL is signed and expires in one hour, all full downloads require account authentication, and the bearer token should only be sent on the DataBazaar API host even when a retrieval_url is provided. These are exactly the constraints an agent needs to act safely.

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?

Front-loaded with the core purpose and expiry, then conditions. The 'When retrieval_url is provided...' sentence is dense and references an entity that is not a parameter or sibling, adding mild ambiguity rather than clean guidance.

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 description covers auth, expiry, routing, and manifest expectations well. It stops short of describing what the call returns (e.g. a URL string) and leaves the retrieval_url sentence contextually unexplained.

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% and the schema already states the free-vs-paid routing for both parameters, so the description largely repeats structured data. The conditional logic adds a little reinforcement but no new syntax or edge cases beyond what the schema documents.

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 ('get a signed, time-limited download URL for a dataset') and immediately scopes it to a dataset the agent already has access to, which cleanly separates it from get_upload_urls and get_dataset.

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?

Explicitly routes the agent: dataset_id for free ($0) datasets, purchase_id from a completed buy_now for paid ones, with authentication called out. It also states the expiry fallback ('call again for a fresh one') and the manifest caveat, leaving little to inference.

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