switch_workspace
Switch to a different workspace/working directory. Use this when you need to work in a different folder
This record as markdown: /tools/cowork-os/switch-workspace.md
What switch_workspace does on CoWork OS
AI agents invoke switch_workspace to trigger actions in CoWork OS. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.
Why switch_workspace is rated High
Switching the active working directory changes the execution context for subsequent operations. It is not a pure read (it has side effects on state), nor purely destructive, but it triggers an environmental state change that can affect all subsequent file and code operations — consistent with Execute. Misuse could redirect agent actions to unintended directories, potentially exposing or modifying unrelated files.
From the tool's definition Switch to a different workspace/working directory. Use this when you need to work in a different folder
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs switch_workspace 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 switch_workspace, this is the rule to start with:
switch_workspace stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect CoWork OS, apply this rule, and every switch_workspace call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about switch_workspace
Switch to a different workspace/working directory. Use this when you need to work in a different folder. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the CoWork OS MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the CoWork OS MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for switch_workspace: 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.
switch_workspace is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the switch_workspace 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 switch_workspace. 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.
switch_workspace 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.
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