APIbase

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

With no annotations, the description carries full burden. It successfully discloses the scope ('any retailer') and output fields (title, price, reviews, etc.), but omits auth requirements, rate limits, error behavior for non-product URLs, and safety characteristics.

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?

Single, efficiently structured sentence with em-dash separation. Information is front-loaded with the core action, and every clause earns its place by specifying either output fields or operational scope.

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 no output schema exists, the description effectively compensates by enumerating extracted fields (title, price, images, etc.). For a 3-parameter tool with simple types and no nested objects, this provides sufficient context for 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?

Schema coverage is 100%, establishing baseline 3. The description mentions 'reviews' which semantically links to the 'discussion' parameter, but otherwise adds minimal syntax or format guidance beyond what the schema already provides for 'url' and 'timeout'.

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 ('Extract') and resource ('structured product data') and clearly distinguishes from sibling tools like 'diffbot.articles.extract' by specifying 'e-commerce URL' and listing product-specific fields (price, brand, specs).

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 phrase 'Works on any retailer without custom integration' provides implied usage context (use when universal retailer coverage is needed), but lacks explicit when-not-to-use guidance or comparison to specific alternatives like 'ecommerce.amazon.product'.

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