Conftest pull

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

Beyond the annotations, the description discloses that the target directory is emptied before the pull, warns that pulled policies are arbitrary executable Rego with exfiltration/network risks, and notes the external binary dependency and path restrictions. This is substantial value added on top of destructiveHint and readOnlyHint.

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 front-loaded with the main action and each subsequent sentence covers a distinct aspect: use case, prerequisite, path constraint, and security warning. No filler or redundancy; the security warning earns its place.

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 side-effectful tool with no output schema, the description covers purpose, prerequisites, destructive side effects, security implications, and path constraints. An agent has everything needed to decide whether to call it and to call it safely.

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?

With 100% schema description coverage, the schema already documents the url schemes and the policy directory fallback and emptying behavior. The tool description doesn't add new parameter-level meaning beyond restating that the policy directory must be inside allowed paths, so the baseline 3 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 action: 'Download Rego policies from an OCI registry or Git repository into a local directory using conftest pull.' It identifies the resource, destination, and direction, and it distinguishes itself from the sibling conftest_push by direction and from conftest_test by sequencing ('hydrate ... before running conftest_test').

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?

It gives explicit usage context: 'Use this to hydrate a local policy/ directory before running conftest_test' and states prerequisites (conftest on PATH or CONFTEST_BINARY, OPA_MCP_ALLOWED_PATHS). It does not explicitly name an alternative to use instead, but the download-vs-push contrast and the sequencing with conftest_test provide clear context.

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