notion_update_database

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

No annotations are supplied, so the description carries the full behavioral burden, and it discloses nothing: not that this is a mutation, not whether changes are additive or replacing, not the required auth scope, and not the effect on properties omitted from the call. For a destructive-capable write tool this is a serious gap.

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?

It is short, but this is under-specification rather than conciseness — three words that convey almost no actionable information about a 5-parameter, nested-object mutation tool.

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 annotations, no output schema, five parameters, and nested objects, the description would need to shoulder the full explanation burden. Instead it is a fragment that leaves auth requirements, mutation semantics, and the richer icon/cover/title update capability entirely undocumented.

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% and every parameter (database_id, icon, cover, title, properties) has its own schema description, so the baseline of 3 applies. The description adds no semantics beyond the schema and notably fails to hint at the nested structure of the properties object.

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 three-word description 'Update database properties' essentially restates the tool name notion_update_database, adding only the word 'properties'. It is also narrower than reality: the schema shows icon, cover, and title can be updated too, so the description under-describes its own scope. No sibling differentiation against notion_update_page or notion_update_block.

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?

There is no when-to-use guidance, no prerequisites (e.g. integration permissions), and no mention of alternatives such as notion_update_page. An agent gets zero routing information.

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