# get_categories

Get all recipe categories with pagination.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `get_categories`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-categories

## Facts

- Tool: `get_categories`
- Server: Mealie MCP Server (`graysoncadams/mealie-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/GraysonCAdams/mealie-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": "get_categories",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why get_categories is rated Low

This tool queries and retrieves existing recipe category data. It performs no modifications, deletions, or external operations. The use of 'Get' and pagination parameters confirms it is a read-only data retrieval operation, fitting the Read category with minimal security risk.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'get_categories' and description 'Get all recipe categories with pagination' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects."

## Use case

AI agents call get_categories to retrieve information from Mealie MCP Server 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 Mealie MCP Server:

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

## Other tools on Mealie MCP Server (92)

- `delete_category` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-category.md
- `delete_comment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-comment.md
- `delete_cookbook` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-cookbook.md
- `delete_food` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-food.md
- `delete_label` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-label.md
- `delete_mealplan` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-mealplan.md
- `delete_recipe` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-recipe.md
- `delete_shopping_list` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-shopping-list.md
- `delete_shopping_list_item` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-shopping-list-item.md
- `delete_shopping_list_items_bulk` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-shopping-list-items-bulk.md
- `delete_tag` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-tag.md
- `delete_tool` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-tool.md
- `delete_unit` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/delete-unit.md
- `remove_recipe_from_shopping_list` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/remove-recipe-from-shopping-list.md
- `parse_ingredient` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/parse-ingredient.md
- `parse_ingredients` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/parse-ingredients.md
- `get_all_mealplans` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-all-mealplans.md
- `get_category` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-category.md
- `get_category_by_slug` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-category-by-slug.md
- `get_cookbook` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-cookbook.md
- `get_cookbooks` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-cookbooks.md
- `get_current_user` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-current-user.md
- `get_empty_categories` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-empty-categories.md
- `get_empty_tags` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-empty-tags.md
- `get_food` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-food.md
- `get_foods` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-foods.md
- `get_household_statistics` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-household-statistics.md
- `get_label` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-label.md
- `get_labels` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-labels.md
- `get_mealplan` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp/get-mealplan.md
- …and 62 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp.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=graysoncadams-mealie-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/graysoncadams-mealie-mcp