find_usages
Find every word-boundary occurrence of an identifier across the project's source files. Read-only. The project-wide, build-independent complement to gd_references (which needs the live language server and a cursor position). Returns res:// path, 1-based line/column and the line text for each hit.
This record as markdown: /tools/breakpoint-mcp/find-usages.md
What find_usages does on Breakpoint
AI agents call find_usages to retrieve information from Breakpoint without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
name | string | Yes | Identifier to find (matched on word boundaries) |
extensions | array | — | File extensions to include, without the dot (default: gd,cs,tscn,tres,gdshader) |
ignore_case | boolean | — | Case-insensitive match (default false) |
max_results | integer | — | Cap on returned usages (default 200) |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why find_usages is rated Low
This tool retrieves information about code references without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing anything. It is a search/query operation with no side effects, fitting the Read category. Low severity because it only exposes source code structure that developers typically have access to already.
From the tool's definition Tool description explicitly states "Read-only" and performs identifier search across source files, returning paths, line numbers, and text. No mutations or side effects.
Risk signalsBulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs find_usages safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Breakpoint, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For find_usages, this is the rule to start with:
find_usages 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 Breakpoint, apply this rule, and every find_usages call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about find_usages
Find every word-boundary occurrence of an identifier across the project's source files. Read-only. The project-wide, build-independent complement to gd_references (which needs the live language server and a cursor position). Returns res:// path, 1-based line/column and the line text for each hit. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Breakpoint MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
find_usages accepts 4 parameters: name, extensions, ignore_case, max_results. Required: name. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Breakpoint MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for find_usages: 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 Breakpoint. Nothing to install.
find_usages 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 find_usages 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 find_usages. 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.
find_usages is provided by the Breakpoint MCP server (breakpoint-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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