git_diff

Show the diff of changes in the workspace. Can show unstaged changes, staged changes, or changes to a specific file. Useful for reviewing what has changed.

SERVERCoWork OS SOURCECoWork-OS/CoWork-OS

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/cowork-os/git-diff.md

WHAT IT DOES

What git_diff does on CoWork OS

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

RISK

Why git_diff is rated Low

git_diff retrieves and displays version control metadata (diffs) to show what has changed in the workspace. It has no side effects, does not execute code, create, modify, or delete files. The blast radius if misused is minimal; an agent could only view information already in the repository. This is a classic Read operation.

From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Show[s] the diff of changes' and is 'Useful for reviewing what has changed'—these are read-only operations that retrieve and display information without modifying data.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs git_diff safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and CoWork OS, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For git_diff, this is the rule to start with:

git_diff Allowed

git_diff is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "git_diff": {}
  }
}

ALLOW ONLY THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect CoWork OS, apply this rule, and every git_diff call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about git_diff

What does the git_diff tool do? +

Show the diff of changes in the workspace. Can show unstaged changes, staged changes, or changes to a specific file. Useful for reviewing what has changed. It is categorised as a Read tool in the CoWork OS MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on git_diff? +

Register the CoWork OS MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for git_diff: 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 CoWork OS. Nothing to install.

What risk level is git_diff? +

git_diff is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit git_diff? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the git_diff 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.

How do I block git_diff completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for git_diff. 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.

What MCP server provides git_diff? +

git_diff is provided by the CoWork OS MCP server (CoWork-OS/CoWork-OS). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

More on CoWork OS, and thousands of servers like it.

This server

All 342 CoWork OS tools →

Across the catalogue

claude_git_status on Claude Bridge → The MCP Attack Database →

Guides

Roll out MCP under one policy →Data exfiltration →MCP token cost →