Get a Directory Entry

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuinely non-obvious behavior beyond them: the exact payload contents and the fallback rule that 'Unknown slugs return close matches', which prevents an agent from treating a near-miss response as an exact hit.

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?

A single front-loaded sentence with the resource and key scoping clause first. The field enumeration is long but earns its place because there is no output schema; it is dense rather than redundant.

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 one-parameter lookup with no output schema, the description supplies the returned field set, the slug provenance, and the unknown-slug fallback behavior — everything an agent needs to call it and interpret the result.

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% and the parameter already carries a description with examples, so the baseline is 3. The description still adds meaning the schema does not: it states where valid slug values originate (search_directory results), which is the main failure mode for this input.

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?

Specific verb and resource: 'Get the full Swarmnest directory record for one tool by its slug', followed by an enumeration of exactly which fields come back. It also distinguishes itself from the sibling search_directory by naming it as the source of valid slugs, so an agent can tell retrieval apart from search without opening the schema.

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?

The parenthetical '(from search_directory results)' tells the agent this is the follow-up call after a search and where the input comes from, which is real routing guidance. It stops short of an explicit exclusion ('do not use for skills — use get_skill'), so it is clear context rather than a full when/when-not statement.

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