---
title: "description_too_long"
url: https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/description_too_long
---
# description_too_long

URL: https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/description_too_long

> The tool description is over 30 words, so agents skim past it.

| Fix | Fails in | Exit |
|---|---|---|
| Shorten description. | `services/translation.ts` | 1 |

**Owned by** [Your own Service](https://services.dev/docs/own.md): the page that explains what this gate holds.

## What check says

```txt title="npx services.dev check"
  ✗ The tool description is over 30 words, so agents skim past it. Shorten description: the tool description is 36 words.
    https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/description_too_long
✗ 1 to fix
```

## The failing file

```ts title="services/translation.ts"
import { Service } from 'services.dev'

export default Service({
  name: 'Translation',
  description: 'Any contract, filing or certificate, in any language a buyer names, translated with its layout, tables, stamps and footnotes kept where they were.',
  input: { document: 'file', to: 'language: a BCP 47 tag, such as fr-CA' },
  output: { document: 'file' },
  price: 49,
})
```

## The fix

```diff title="git add -A && git diff --staged"
diff --git a/services/translation.ts b/services/translation.ts
index 8b9cbe3..6e3c106 100644
--- a/services/translation.ts
+++ b/services/translation.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { Service } from 'services.dev'
 
 export default Service({
   name: 'Translation',
-  description: 'Any contract, filing or certificate, in any language a buyer names, translated with its layout, tables, stamps and footnotes kept where they were.',
+  description: 'Any document, translated with its layout kept.',
   input: { document: 'file', to: 'language: a BCP 47 tag, such as fr-CA' },
   output: { document: 'file' },
   price: 49,
```

```txt title="npx services.dev check"
✓ ready to sell · 1 Service · AI delivers it alone · it keeps at least 80% of every job
```

## Explained in

- [Your own Service](https://services.dev/docs/own.md)
- [Service()](https://services.dev/docs/service.md)

## What an agent reads

```json title="npx services.dev check --json · the description_too_long failure"
{
  "code": "description_too_long",
  "reason": "The tool description is over 30 words, so agents skim past it.",
  "next": "Shorten description: the tool description is 36 words.",
  "doc_url": "https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/description_too_long"
}
```

<details>
<summary>The whole document check --json prints</summary>

```json title="npx services.dev check --json"
{
  "ai": {
    "cents_per_call": 42,
    "simulated": true
  },
  "mcp": {
    "tools": 13,
    "tokens": 4506,
    "sandbox": 9,
    "budget": 8000
  },
  "services": [
    {
      "path": "services/translation.ts",
      "lines": 5,
      "steps": "draft · ai → review · ai · adversarial",
      "ok": false,
      "price": "$49 per job, within 48 hours, charged on delivery.",
      "who": "AI delivers every job.",
      "agent": {
        "tool": "order_translation",
        "words": 36,
        "job": "job_7Hq2",
        "status": "accepted",
        "on": null,
        "charged": 4900,
        "person": false,
        "why": ""
      },
      "ledger": "+$49.00 · AI $0.84 (example) · you $48.16",
      "approved_ledger": null,
      "outcome": null,
      "margin": {
        "floor": {
          "cents": 3920,
          "pct": 80
        },
        "own": 3920,
        "stop": 980,
        "nested": []
      },
      "apps": [
        "customer portal",
        "owner console"
      ],
      "failures": [
        {
          "code": "description_too_long",
          "reason": "The tool description is over 30 words, so agents skim past it.",
          "next": "Shorten description: the tool description is 36 words.",
          "doc_url": "https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/description_too_long"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

</details>

---

- Up: [check’s gates](https://services.dev/docs/reference/check.md)
- Previous: [check’s gates](https://services.dev/docs/reference/check.md)
- Next: [price_unstated](https://services.dev/docs/reference/check/price_unstated.md)