Reorder Basecamp Todos

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

Annotations already declare idempotentHint, destructiveHint=false, and openWorldHint, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds non-obvious behavioral requirements: only non-complete todos should be included, and all of them must be supplied in the new order, plus the group/list scoping quirk.

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 the action, then the constraint, then the alternative tool, then the group caveat. Every sentence carries distinct, non-redundant information.

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 reorder tool with full schema coverage and clear annotations, the description covers the operation, the ordering requirement, the alternative tool, and the group/list distinction. No output schema exists, but the effect (a reordering) is self-evident, so little is left hanging.

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 both parameters are already documented. The description reinforces that todo_ids is the complete set of incomplete todos in new order and that parent_id may be a list or a group, but adds no format or syntax beyond the schema.

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 ('Set the order of all the todos in a todo list or in a group') and explicitly contrasts itself with basecamp_move_todo for single-todo moves. An agent can distinguish it from siblings without opening anything else.

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?

Gives explicit when-to-use ('sort todos, for example by due date'), names the alternative for a different case ('To move one todo, use basecamp_move_todo'), and disambiguates the group-vs-list case with the rule for which ID to pass.

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