# initial_discovery

One-shot bootstrap: returns a compact guidance context with a room-grouped quick-reference of every item (name, type, live state). Call ONCE on first contact. Do NOT also call generate_home_blueprint or get_system_summary — this covers all discovery needs.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `initial_discovery`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/initial-discovery

## Facts

- Tool: `initial_discovery`
- Server: Openhab (`deswong/openhab-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/deswong/Openhab-MCP
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

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

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "initial_discovery",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why initial_discovery is rated Low

This tool performs a one-shot read/discovery operation, fetching the current state of all items grouped by room. It only queries and returns information without creating, modifying, executing, or deleting anything. The severity is low because it only reads home automation metadata and live states.

From the tool's own definition: "'returns a compact guidance context with a room-grouped quick-reference of every item (name, type, live state)' — purely retrieves and returns existing data with no side effects"

Risk signals: Bulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets

## Use case

AI agents call initial_discovery to retrieve information from Openhab 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 Openhab:

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

## Other tools on Openhab (24)

- `manage_item` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/manage-item.md
- `manage_rule` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/manage-rule.md
- `manage_thing` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/manage-thing.md
- `manage_ui` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/manage-ui.md
- `automation` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/automation.md
- `control_media` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/control-media.md
- `execute_batch` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/execute-batch.md
- `manage_system` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/manage-system.md
- `remediate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/remediate.md
- `schedule_command` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/schedule-command.md
- `send_command` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/send-command.md
- `analyze_home` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/analyze-home.md
- `diagnose_item` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/diagnose-item.md
- `generate_home_blueprint` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/generate-home-blueprint.md
- `get_system_summary` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/get-system-summary.md
- `manage_logs` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/manage-logs.md
- `mcp_status` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/mcp-status.md
- `query_items` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/query-items.md
- `query_rules` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/query-rules.md
- `query_things` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/query-things.md
- `resolve_item` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/resolve-item.md
- `manage_link` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/manage-link.md
- `manage_persistence` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/manage-persistence.md
- `manage_scene` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/manage-scene.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=deswong-openhab-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/deswong-openhab-mcp