update_shipping_address

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

Annotations only declare readOnlyHint=false, so the description must supply the rest. It adds a genuinely useful state constraint (the order must not have shipped) and an anti-hallucination guard, but says nothing about what happens on failure, whether the change is reversible, or whether shipping cost/dates are recalculated.

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?

Two sentences, no filler, with the precondition front-loaded before the invocation guardrail.

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 two-parameter mutation with no output schema, the description covers the two things an agent could most plausibly get wrong: calling too late and inventing address data. It could still say what the tool returns or how it reports rejection for a shipped order.

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 50%; order_id and the address subfields are largely documented in the schema itself. The description reinforces that the address must be complete (no partial or guessed values), but adds no field-level meaning beyond that.

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?

Names a specific verb and resource (change the shipping address of an order) plus a qualifying precondition (not shipped yet) that immediately separates it from sibling mutations like issue_refund. It stops short of naming an alternative tool, but no sibling competes for this operation.

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?

Gives explicit call-time guidance: only call after the customer has supplied the complete new address, and never guess missing parts. That is clear when-to-use and when-not-to-improvise guidance, though it does not state what to do instead when the order has already shipped.

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