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

Annotations already cover the safety profile (readOnlyHint=true, openWorldHint=false), so the bar is lower, and the description still adds value by disclosing return content and a conditional behavior: it 'warns if the bridge is older than the bundled one'. That conditional warning is a genuine behavioral trait not captured by the annotations.

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 a single sentence, front-loaded with the core action ('Check the connection') before listing return values. The nested parenthetical about the version warning is slightly dense but still 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?

With no output schema, the description carries the burden of describing returns and does so concretely, and annotations handle the safety profile. The only missing element is any routing guidance relative to siblings like model_info, which is minor for a zero-arg diagnostic tool.

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?

The tool takes zero parameters, so the baseline is 4. There is nothing for the description to clarify beyond confirming that no input is required.

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 states a specific verb and target ('Check the connection to SketchUp') and enumerates exactly what the call returns (SketchUp/Ruby versions, open model name, bridge/MCP server versions). It is clearly a health/diagnostic check, distinct in kind from the data-fetching siblings, but it never names an alternative (e.g. model_info, which also surfaces model identity) to disambiguate.

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 explicit guidance on when to call this versus siblings such as model_info, nor any when-not or prerequisites. Usage is only loosely implied by the phrase 'check the connection', leaving the agent to infer that this is a diagnostic/preflight tool.

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