# activitywatch_get_settings

Get ActivityWatch settings. Can retrieve all settings or a specific key if provided.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `activitywatch_get_settings`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server/activitywatch-get-settings

## Facts

- Tool: `activitywatch_get_settings`
- Server: ActivityWatch MCP Server (`8bitgentleman/activitywatch-mcp-server`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/8bitgentleman/activitywatch-mcp-server
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade D, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

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

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

## Why activitywatch_get_settings is rated Low

This tool retrieves configuration settings from ActivityWatch without any side effects. It queries data (settings) without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing operations. The blast radius is minimal—an agent misusing this tool could only learn about ActivityWatch configuration, not alter any state or cause harm.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name contains 'get' and description states 'retrieve all settings or a specific key', indicating a read-only retrieval operation with no modification or deletion capabilities."

## Use case

AI agents call activitywatch_get_settings to retrieve information from ActivityWatch MCP Server without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches ActivityWatch MCP Server:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "activitywatch_get_settings": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on ActivityWatch MCP Server (9)

- `activitywatch_delete_category` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server/activitywatch-delete-category.md
- `activitywatch_run_query` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server/activitywatch-run-query.md
- `activitywatch_get_categories` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server/activitywatch-get-categories.md
- `activitywatch_get_events` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server/activitywatch-get-events.md
- `activitywatch_get_uncategorized_events` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server/activitywatch-get-uncategorized-events.md
- `activitywatch_list_buckets` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server/activitywatch-list-buckets.md
- `activitywatch_query_examples` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server/activitywatch-query-examples.md
- `activitywatch_add_category` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server/activitywatch-add-category.md
- `activitywatch_update_category` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server/activitywatch-update-category.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=8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/8bitgentleman-activitywatch-mcp-server