list_discussion_categories

List discussion categories with their id and name, for a repository or organisation.

SERVERGitHub SOURCEoci:ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:1.3.0

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 20 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade D, identity verified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/github/list-discussion-categories.md

WHAT IT DOES

What list_discussion_categories does on GitHub

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

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`repo`	string	—	Repository name. If not provided, discussion categories will be queried at the organisation level.
`owner`	string	—	Repository owner

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

RISK

Why list_discussion_categories is rated Low

This tool queries and returns discussion category metadata from a GitHub repository or organization. It has no side effects, does not execute code, modify data, or perform destructive actions. It is a straightforward data retrieval operation, making it a Read category tool with low severity.

From the tool's definition Tool name contains 'list' and description states 'List discussion categories with their id and name' — a retrieval operation with no modification of data.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs list_discussion_categories safely

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

list_discussion_categories Allowed

list_discussion_categories 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": {
    "list_discussion_categories": {}
  }
}

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

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

FAQ

Questions about list_discussion_categories

What does the list_discussion_categories tool do? +

List discussion categories with their id and name, for a repository or organisation. It is categorised as a Read tool in the GitHub MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

What parameters does list_discussion_categories accept? +

list_discussion_categories accepts 2 parameters: repo, owner. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.

How do I enforce a policy on list_discussion_categories? +

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

What risk level is list_discussion_categories? +

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

Can I rate-limit list_discussion_categories? +

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

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

list_discussion_categories is provided by the GitHub MCP server (oci:ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:1.3.0). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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