search_health

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It discloses the exact content of the report (overall score, per-backend statuses, circuit breaker state, request statistics) and reveals the ordering behavior with active SearchService health first and legacy SearchEngine health as fallback during migration. It does not explicitly state that the operation is read-only, but as a health report this is strongly implied; the disclosed details go well beyond a minimal summary.

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 concise and well structured: a one-line purpose, a sentence listing outputs and use case, and a final clarifying sentence about the migration fallback. Every sentence earns its place, and the core purpose is front-loaded in the first line with no redundancy.

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?

For a zero-parameter health check with an output schema present, the description is complete. It states what the tool does, when to use it, what it returns, and includes relevant legacy migration context. The presence of an output schema means the description doesn't need to detail return structures, and it adds all necessary usage and behavioral context.

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 has zero parameters and an empty input schema, so the baseline for this dimension is 4. The description doesn't need to explain parameters and correctly focuses on the tool's output and purpose. It adds no parameter-specific information because there is none, which 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 opens with a specific verb and resource: 'Get health report for all search backends.' This clearly states the tool's function and differentiates it from siblings like cache_stats, which target cache health rather than search backend health. The rest of the description enumerates concrete outputs, leaving no doubt about the tool's purpose.

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 explicitly says 'Use this to diagnose search failures,' providing a clear when-to-use context. It doesn't name alternatives or exclusions, but among the sibling tools there is no close alternative for search backend health, so the guidance is adequate without needing exclusionary language.

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