get-orders

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of disclosing behavior. It clearly conveys a read-only list operation and mentions 'recent' as a scoping behavior, but it does not clarify what 'recent' means, whether pagination affects completeness, or what fields the returned orders include.

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?

A single sentence that front-loads the core purpose ('List recent orders') and then packs useful filter examples with no wasted words.

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 two-parameter list operation with no output schema and no annotations, the description covers the main intent and filter capabilities well. It is slightly incomplete only in not defining the recency window or the response shape, but it is sufficient for an agent to call the tool correctly in most cases.

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 schema already documents both parameters at 100% coverage, so the baseline is 3. The description adds meaningful value by giving concrete searchQuery examples beyond the schema's single example, such as financial_status, created_at comparisons, and order name syntax.

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 ('List'), a clear resource ('orders'), and immediately signals optional filtering with concrete Shopify search query examples. This clearly distinguishes it from get-order-by-id, which is a single-order lookup.

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 context of listing recent orders with optional filters is clear, but the description never explicitly says when to choose this over get-order-by-id or get-customer-orders. The usage is implied by the list-oriented phrasing, but no alternatives or exclusions are named.

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