List links

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

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, and non-destructive, but the description adds non-obvious behavior: newest-first ordering, the requirement to iterate with nextCursor until null, and the silent exclusion of abuse-disabled links from the paused set. Return payload shape and page-size behavior are left to the schema.

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?

Three short sentences, front-loaded with what the tool returns and ordered so pagination mechanics follow the purpose statement. No filler or repetition of the title.

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?

With no output schema, the description carries the burden of the return contract and does so by naming nextCursor and the termination condition. Minor gaps remain around what a link record contains and how limit interacts with paging, but nothing needed to call it correctly is missing.

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 100%, so the baseline is 3, and the description earns above that by explaining what 'paused' actually means and noting that abuse-disabled links are excluded from results entirely. The cursor explanation largely restates the schema's 'nextCursor from the previous page'.

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 opens with a specific verb and resource ('List links') and immediately pins down ordering ('newest first') and scope ('one page at a time'). An agent can distinguish it from single-record siblings like get_link or check_link without opening the schema, though it never names search_links as the filtered alternative.

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?

It gives an explicit paging loop ('Pass nextCursor back as cursor until it is null') and states the default filter, which is real operational guidance. It also points to update_link isActive: true for re-enabling paused links, but never says when to prefer search_links over this plain listing.

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