abs_stats

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false, openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds real value with the auth requirement (Authorization Bearer from ABS_API_TOKEN) and the 'self-hosted Audiobookshelf only' constraint. It says nothing about what the stats results look like or rate/scope limits.

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?

Four short sentences, front-loaded with scope and auth, no filler. Slightly telegraphic in places ('Self-hosted Audiobookshelf only.' reads as a fragment) but nothing that wastes space.

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 5-parameter wrapper with nested objects and no output schema, the description should at least signal what each action needs (params like id) and what it returns. It covers auth and the help mechanism but leaves the agent to infer per-action parameter requirements from the schema alone.

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 body/query/params/target are already documented in the schema and baseline 3 applies. The description only clarifies the help+target pairing, repeating what the schema's target description already says.

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 it covers the Audiobookshelf stats toolset and enumerates the two real operations (get_server, get_year) plus help, which distinguishes it from siblings like abs_items or abs_libraries. Slightly muddied because get_server does not obviously read as a 'stats' operation, and the '2 operations' count excludes help.

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?

Provides one concrete usage rule — 'action help with target returns one action's parameters' — which is genuinely useful for discovery. However, it never says when to pick get_year vs get_server, nor when to use this toolset at all versus other abs_* tools.

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