# pause_renders

Pauses render data collection in the browser. Connected clients will stop reporting renders until resume_renders is called. Useful when you want to ignore renders from irrelevant interactions. If multiple projects are active and no project is specified, the tool will ask you to disambiguate.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `pause_renders`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/pause-renders

## Facts

- Tool: `pause_renders`
- Server: Why Did You Render (`0x1f320/why-did-you-render-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/0x1f320/why-did-you-render-mcp
- Risk category: Execute (High risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "pause_renders",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why pause_renders is rated High

This tool triggers an external operation in the browser — stopping active data collection across connected clients. It is not merely reading data, nor does it delete or overwrite anything permanently. It executes a state change in connected browser clients, halting their reporting behavior, which qualifies as Execute.

From the tool's own definition: "Pauses render data collection in the browser. Connected clients will stop reporting renders until resume_renders is called."

## Use case

AI agents invoke pause_renders to trigger actions in Why Did You Render. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Rate-limited**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Why Did You Render:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "pause_renders": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "pause_renders_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Why Did You Render (13)

- `clear_renders` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/clear-renders.md
- `delete_snapshot` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/delete-snapshot.md
- `wait_for_renders` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/wait-for-renders.md
- `compare_snapshots` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/compare-snapshots.md
- `get_commits` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/get-commits.md
- `get_projects` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/get-projects.md
- `get_render_summary` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/get-render-summary.md
- `get_renders` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/get-renders.md
- `get_renders_by_commit` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/get-renders-by-commit.md
- `get_tracked_components` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/get-tracked-components.md
- `list_snapshots` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/list-snapshots.md
- `resume_renders` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/resume-renders.md
- `save_snapshot` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp/save-snapshot.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/0x1f320-why-did-you-render-mcp