auto_create_groups

SERVERMoodle SOURCE@falkenslab/moodle-mcp

Medium RISK CLASS

Category Write

Parameters 124 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/falkenslab-moodle-mcp/auto-create-groups.md

WHAT IT DOES

What auto_create_groups does on Moodle

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

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`by`	string	Yes	groups: count groups; members: groups of count members
`seed`	integer	—	A preview's seed, to create those same groups
`count`	integer	Yes
`naming`	string	Yes	The groups' names: # becomes their number, @ a letter ("Group @")
`roleId`	integer	—	Only this role (0: every role); students by default
`preview`	boolean	—
`cohortId`	integer	—
`courseId`	integer	Yes
`allocation`	string	—	random by default; none leaves them empty
`groupingId`	integer	—	Put them in this grouping
`notInGroup`	boolean	—	Only participants in no group yet
`fromGroupId`	integer	—

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

RISK

Why auto_create_groups is rated Medium

An AI agent can call auto_create_groups faster than any human can review: one bad instruction and it creates or modifies resources in Moodle by the hundred, each call as confident as the last.

Risk signalsHigh parameter count (15 properties)

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs auto_create_groups safely

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

auto_create_groups Rate-limited

auto_create_groups stays usable, but capped: an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "auto_create_groups": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "auto_create_groups_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

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

FAQ

Questions about auto_create_groups

What does the auto_create_groups tool do? +

Split a course's participants into groups at once, as Moodle's "Auto-create groups" does: count groups, or groups of count members, named by naming (# a number, @ a letter), filled at random or by name or ID number (or left empty), from a role (students by default), a cohort, a grouping or a group, optionally into an existing or new grouping. preview: true shows the groups and members Moodle would make and creates nothing: do that first, then give its seed back to create those same groups. Members as aliases when the server pseudonymizes. Confirm with the person first. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Moodle MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

What parameters does auto_create_groups accept? +

auto_create_groups accepts 12 parameters: by, seed, count, naming, roleId, preview, cohortId, courseId, allocation, groupingId, notInGroup, fromGroupId. Required: by, count, naming, courseId. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.

How do I enforce a policy on auto_create_groups? +

Register the Moodle MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for auto_create_groups: 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 Moodle. Nothing to install.

What risk level is auto_create_groups? +

auto_create_groups is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit auto_create_groups? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the auto_create_groups 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 auto_create_groups completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for auto_create_groups. 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 auto_create_groups? +

auto_create_groups is provided by the Moodle MCP server (@falkenslab/moodle-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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