Pause VM

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

The description gives minimal behavioral context beyond the action. With no annotations indicating read-only or destructive behavior, the description could elaborate on effects (e.g., state preserved in memory, network disconnection). It merely states the action without explaining consequences.

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 very short (one sentence) and front-loaded with the main verb and object. It is concise but lacks additional details that could be included without verbosity, such as prerequisites or side effects.

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?

Given the simplicity (one param, no output schema), the description is minimally complete but misses contextual details like what happens to the VM after pausing, how to resume, or required permissions. Could be improved with a sentence on behavior.

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 the input schema already documents the vmxPath parameter with its description. The tool description adds no additional parameter information, thus baseline 3 is appropriate.

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 clearly states the action 'Pause' and the resource 'VM', and it specifies 'running' which distinguishes it from other VM states. This is a specific verb+resource that differentiates it from siblings like start_vm, stop_vm, and suspend_vm.

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 description does not provide any explicit guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives like suspend_vm or stop_vm. It only implicitly suggests it should be used on running VMs but lacks when-not-to-use or alternative recommendations.

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