Delegate without waiting

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

With no annotations, the description carries the burden and delivers the critical non-obvious behavior: the call is asynchronous, returns an id immediately, and requires polling. It leaves out failure modes, timeouts, and whether the delegated work can be canceled, which keeps it below a 5.

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?

Two short sentences, front-loaded with the async contract, then the alternative. Every clause earns its place.

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?

No output schema exists, so it matters that the description says an id is returned immediately — it does. A brief note on errors or what happens if the task fails would make it fully complete.

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 agent, prompt, and workingDirectory are all documented in the schema itself. The description implies the prompt is a delegated task but adds no format or constraint detail beyond what the schema 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 a specific verb (start) and resource (delegated task) plus the key return (task id) and the async intent ('work that would outlast this request'). This makes it trivially distinguishable from ask_agent and get_task.

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?

Explicitly names the alternative ('Prefer ask_agent for anything that finishes in a minute or two') with the selecting condition, and tells the agent the follow-up path ('Poll get_task with the id'). No inference needed.

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