# list_machine_types

Lists the available Google Compute Engine machine types. Requires project and zone as input. Returns machine types, including id, creationTimestamp, name, description, guest cpus, memory, image space, maximum persistent disks, maximum persisten disks size, deprecated, zone, is shared cpu, accelerators, and architecture.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `list_machine_types`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-machine-types

## Facts

- Tool: `list_machine_types`
- Server: Mcp (`https://compute.googleapis.com/mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/https://compute.googleapis.com/mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: open
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 2 (2 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `zone` | string | yes | Required. The zone of the machine types. |
| `project` | string | yes | Required. Project ID for this request. |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

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

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "list_machine_types",
    "arguments": {
      "zone": "<zone>",
      "project": "<project>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why list_machine_types is rated Low

This tool retrieves and queries infrastructure metadata (available machine types and their specifications) without side effects. It is a pure read operation that returns static or reference data about available compute resources. The context of sibling tools (create_instance, delete_instance) that perform write/destructive operations further confirms this is informational only.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool performs a 'list' operation that 'Lists the available Google Compute Engine machine types' and 'Returns machine types' with descriptive metadata. No modification, deletion, or execution of operations is performed."

## Use case

AI agents call list_machine_types to retrieve information from Mcp 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 Mcp:

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

## Other tools on Mcp (28)

- `delete_instance` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/delete-instance.md
- `reset_instance` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/reset-instance.md
- `start_instance` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/start-instance.md
- `stop_instance` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/stop-instance.md
- `get_commitment_basic_info` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/get-commitment-basic-info.md
- `get_disk_basic_info` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/get-disk-basic-info.md
- `get_disk_performance_config` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/get-disk-performance-config.md
- `get_instance_basic_info` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/get-instance-basic-info.md
- `get_instance_group_manager_basic_info` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/get-instance-group-manager-basic-info.md
- `get_instance_template_basic_info` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/get-instance-template-basic-info.md
- `get_instance_template_properties` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/get-instance-template-properties.md
- `get_reservation_basic_info` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/get-reservation-basic-info.md
- `get_reservation_details` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/get-reservation-details.md
- `get_zone_operation` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/get-zone-operation.md
- `list_accelerator_types` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-accelerator-types.md
- `list_commitment_reservations` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-commitment-reservations.md
- `list_commitments` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-commitments.md
- `list_disks` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-disks.md
- `list_images` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-images.md
- `list_instance_attached_disks` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-instance-attached-disks.md
- `list_instance_group_managers` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-instance-group-managers.md
- `list_instance_templates` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-instance-templates.md
- `list_instances` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-instances.md
- `list_managed_instances` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-managed-instances.md
- `list_reservations` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-reservations.md
- `list_snapshots` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/list-snapshots.md
- `create_instance` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/create-instance.md
- `set_instance_machine_type` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-compute-mcp/set-instance-machine-type.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=com-googleapis-compute-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/com-googleapis-compute-mcp