get_document
Retrieve the DOM document structure with configurable depth and shadow DOM access. Fetches the document tree starting from the root element, with control over traversal depth and shadow DOM boundary crossing. This provides the foundation for all DOM inspection operations by establishing the docum...
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What get_document does on Chrome Devtools
AI agents call get_document to retrieve information from Chrome Devtools without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
Why get_document is rated Low
This tool retrieves and reads DOM structure information without side effects. While it operates within a browser context (Chrome DevTools), it only fetches and returns data about the page structure. It does not execute code, modify content, delete anything, or trigger external operations.
From the tool's definition The tool 'Retrieve the DOM document structure' with 'configurable depth and shadow DOM access' performs inspection and retrieval operations only.
Risk signalsBulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets · Admin/system-level operation
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs get_document safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Chrome Devtools, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For get_document, this is the rule to start with:
get_document is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Chrome Devtools, apply this rule, and every get_document call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about get_document
Retrieve the DOM document structure with configurable depth and shadow DOM access. Fetches the document tree starting from the root element, with control over traversal depth and shadow DOM boundary crossing. This provides the foundation for all DOM inspection operations by establishing the document structure. The depth parameter controls how deep into the DOM tree to traverse, while the pierce option enables inspection of shadow DOM content that would normally be encapsulated. Args: depth: Maximum depth to retrieve from document root (default: 1). Use -1 to retrieve the entire document tree. Higher depths provide more complete structure but increase response size. pierce: Whether to traverse shadow DOM boundaries (default: False). When True, includes shadow DOM content in the tree structure. Returns: Document structure dictionary containing: - success: Boolean indicating retrieval success - message: Summary of document structure retrieved - data: Complete DOM tree structure from the document root, including all child elements up to the specified depth Note: Large documents with high depth settings may produce substantial responses. Consider using moderate depths for initial exploration, then targeting specific areas for detailed analysis. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Chrome Devtools MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Chrome Devtools MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_document: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Chrome Devtools. Nothing to install.
get_document is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_document rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get_document. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
get_document is provided by the Chrome Devtools MCP server (benjaminr/chrome-devtools-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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