List subscriptions

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

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive, and open-world, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds two genuinely new behavioral facts: default ordering (newest first) and the pagination contract. It says nothing about result shape, page-size behavior, or whether filtering narrows ordering, so this is useful but thin.

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, no filler, with the pagination hint front-loaded after the identity statement. Efficient, though the first sentence is pure repetition of the title and earns little.

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?

With no output schema, the description does not describe the returned subscription objects, and for a 5-parameter list tool it never acknowledges that filtering by customer, price, or status is even possible. Ordering and pagination are the only completeness wins.

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 80%, so the baseline is 3. The description only reinforces the cursor parameter ('next_cursor' as 'cursor'), which the schema already states; it says nothing about the filter parameters (price, status, customer) or limit semantics that an agent would need to use them confidently.

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 first sentence is essentially a restatement of the tool name and title ('list_subscriptions' / 'List subscriptions'), adding no scope, filter, or resource detail. An agent can tell it lists subscriptions, but nothing in the description explains what kinds of subscriptions or what distinguishes it from retrieve_subscription beyond the obvious verb.

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 pagination instructions ('pass next_cursor back as cursor for the next page') give actionable procedural guidance for iterating results. However, there is no guidance on when to use this versus retrieve_subscription, or which filters to apply for common tasks, so usage is only partially implied.

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