get_recent_activities

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

With no annotations, the description carries the burden, and it does add some behavioral detail: 'cached' signals possibly stale data, and 'bounded' signals output limits. However, it doesn't address side effects, freshness behavior, ordering, or error handling beyond that.

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?

One dense, front-loaded sentence that gets the core resource and operation first, then appends the relevant constraints. No filler or repetition of schema defaults/enums.

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?

The simple operation, output schema, and defaults make the definition mostly usable, but the lack of usage guidance and any note about what 'cached' implies for data freshness leaves an agent with some ambiguity relative to the 14 sibling tools. Adequate for basic invocation, not fully complete.

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 0%, so the description must add meaning to bare parameter names. It does: days and limit are called out as bounded, and activity_type is described as an optional exact filter. This meaningfully compensates for the lack of parameter descriptions.

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?

States a specific action ('List') on a specific resource ('recent cached activities') and captures the key parameter semantics ('bounded days/limit' and 'optional exact type filter'). This is specific enough to distinguish it from siblings like get_activity (single record) and get_activities (broader list).

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 implies a simple use case but never says when to prefer this tool over alternatives such as get_activities or get_activity, nor does it state exclusions or prerequisites. An agent must infer the intended context from the name and 'cached' qualifier.

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