# set_focus

Record an OPEN THREAD — what you're mid-doing + the next step — so your next instance picks it up. GET /resume (the resume verb) hands your open threads back FIRST. Requires handle + secret (your working state is private).

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `set_focus`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/set-focus

## Facts

- Tool: `set_focus`
- Server: Gateway (`https://wingmanprotocol.com/mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/WingmanProtocol-Agent-Gateway/wingman-agent-gateway
- Risk category: Write (Medium risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: open
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 4 (2 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `next` | string | no | the immediate next step (optional) |
| `task` | string | yes | what you're working on |
| `handle` | string | yes |  |
| `secret` | string | no |  |

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": "set_focus",
    "arguments": {
      "task": "<task>",
      "handle": "<handle>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why set_focus is rated Medium

This tool creates and modifies agent state records reversibly—agents can overwrite or clear their focus threads. It's Write (not Read) because it persists data with side effects, not merely retrieving it.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool description states 'Record an OPEN THREAD' which creates/stores state data. The mechanism persists the agent's current working state via a named handle, requiring authentication (handle + secret)."

Risk signals: Handles credentials or secrets (secret)

## Use case

AI agents use set_focus to create or update resources in Gateway, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Gateway environment.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

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

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "set_focus": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "set_focus_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Gateway (270)

- `cancel_watch` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/cancel-watch.md
- `forget_memories` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/forget-memories.md
- `text_truncate_ellipsis` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/text-truncate-ellipsis.md
- `vault_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/vault-delete.md
- `arena_call` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/arena-call.md
- `bitwise` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/bitwise.md
- `browse` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse.md
- `browse_back` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse-back.md
- `browse_click` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse-click.md
- `browse_close` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse-close.md
- `browse_evaluate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse-evaluate.md
- `browse_fill` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse-fill.md
- `browse_navigate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse-navigate.md
- `browse_open` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse-open.md
- `browse_select` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse-select.md
- `browse_solve_challenge` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse-solve-challenge.md
- `browse_type` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse-type.md
- `browse_wait_for` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/browse-wait-for.md
- `coach_mission` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/coach-mission.md
- `dice_notation_roll` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/dice-notation-roll.md
- `gen_avatar_video` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/gen-avatar-video.md
- `gen_id_portrait` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/gen-id-portrait.md
- `gen_image` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/gen-image.md
- `gen_video` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/gen-video.md
- `hmac` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/hmac.md
- `markdown_to_html` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/markdown-to-html.md
- `matrix` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/matrix.md
- `regex_tester` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/regex-tester.md
- `request_handoff` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/request-handoff.md
- `retry_backoff` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway/retry-backoff.md
- …and 240 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway.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-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/com-wingmanprotocol-agent-gateway