import-photos

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden and excels: labels itself a WRITE tool, requires APPLE_PHOTOS_MCP_ENABLE_WRITES=1, notes it only adds to the library (never modifies/deletes), explains the blocking duplicate dialog, mentions AppleScript permissions and that imports go into the currently open library. Also discloses no programmatic undo.

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?

The description is long but structured with headers ('Use when', 'Returns', 'Do not use when', 'Safety') and every sentence provides unique information. For a tool with this many caveats, the length is justified and front-loaded with the primary use case.

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?

Covers all critical behavioral and operational aspects: environment variable, permissions, path validation, duplicate handling, album requirement, and the lack of undo. The output schema exists, so return values need not be detailed, but the description still mentions them.

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 baseline is 3. The description adds context beyond schema by specifying that a missing album is an error rather than auto-created and that every path is validated before import. It also reinforces the duplicate-check semantics, though the schema already covers these, so 4.

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 'Use when: you have image/video files on disk that belong in the Photos library' and clarifies the optional album filing. This clearly states the verb (import) and resource (Photos library), and distinguishes from siblings like export (reverse direction) and create-album (prerequisite for missing albums).

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 explicit 'Use when' and 'Do not use when' sections, including the condition that the target album must exist (call create-album first) and that paths must be under allowed roots. Also states the exact environment variable needed to enable the write operation.

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