portal_courses

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

With no annotations, the description carries the burden of disclosing behavior. It indicates a read-only action via 'Get' and clarifies that 'enroll' means viewing available enrolments rather than performing an enrollment action. However, it does not disclose response format, pagination, or any other behavioral details.

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 a single concise sentence that front-loads the action and resource. Every part of the sentence earns its place by mapping to the three view modes, with no redundant filler.

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 single-param read-only tool with no output schema, the description gives enough context to identify the correct view values and expected results. Minor gaps remain: it does not explain the exact structure of returned class groups or what fields an enrolled-course list contains, but these are not critical for basic invocation.

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?

Though the schema covers the view parameter with 100% coverage, the schema only documents the default value. The description adds semantic meaning by mapping each enum value to its output: list → enrolled courses, groups → class groups, enroll → available course enrolments. This goes beyond the structured schema.

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 uses a specific verb ('Get') with a clear resource (courses) and enumerates the three distinct outputs: enrolled courses, class groups, and available course enrolments. This clearly scopes the tool and distinguishes it from sibling portals like assignments or exams.

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?

Usage context is implied by the description: use it when you need course-related data. However, it does not explicitly state when to choose this tool over alternatives, nor does it provide any exclusions or alternative tool references.

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