Get customer orders

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, so the safety profile is known. The description adds that the tool is paginated and returns only order IDs, which is useful context, but does not disclose any other behavioral traits such as rate limits or error conditions. This matches the baseline for an annotation-accompanied description.

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 a single sentence that immediately conveys the action ('List'), the target resource ('order IDs'), the scope ('of a customer'), and the pagination behavior. Every word earns its place, with zero filler.

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 simple read-only listing tool with full schema coverage and no output schema, the description adequately states what is returned (order IDs) and that it is paginated. It does not explain the response envelope or error handling, but these are less critical for a straightforward list operation.

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 description coverage is 100%, so the schema fully documents all three parameters. The description's mention of 'customer ID' and 'paginated' aligns with the schema but does not add new semantic information beyond what is already in the 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?

The description uses a specific verb and resource: 'List order IDs of a customer by their customer ID'. It clearly distinguishes itself from siblings like list_orders (which presumably lists all orders) and get_order (which fetches a single order) by scoping to one customer and returning only order IDs.

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 clearly states the context for use: you have a customer ID and want their order IDs. While it does not explicitly name alternatives or exclusions, the condition 'by their customer ID' provides clear context for when this tool is appropriate.

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