checkSystemHealth

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden. It adds valuable latency context (~3-10s) and scope clarity, but fails to clarify the mutation semantics of 'dryRun' (whether standard operation has side effects) or what constitutes failure versus success.

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?

Single sentence delivers purpose, scope, and timing estimate with zero redundancy. Information is front-loaded and dense—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?

Adequate for a health check tool given the lack of output schema (return value can be inferred), but incomplete due to undocumented parameters. For a tool with 0% schema coverage, the description should explain the boolean flags to reach full completeness.

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 has 0% description coverage for the two boolean parameters (runLiveChecks, dryRun), and the description provides no compensation. The agent cannot discern whether dryRun prevents writes or if runLiveChecks enables network calls versus cached validation.

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?

Description provides specific verb ('Check'), clear resource ('setup and provider health'), and enumerates exact components verified (yt-dlp, YouTube API, Gemini embeddings, local storage). This distinguishes it from sibling tools like mediaStoreHealth (narrower scope) and checkImportReadiness (different purpose).

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 timing annotation '[~3-10s]' implies when to use (when you can tolerate brief latency), and listing the providers implies use when verifying system connectivity. However, it lacks explicit when-not guidance or comparison to alternatives like mediaStoreHealth.

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