checkout

Switches branches or restores files. Returns structured data with ref, previous ref, whether a new branch was created, and detached HEAD status. Pass

SERVERLint SOURCEDave-London/Pare

Medium RISK CLASS

Category Write

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-dave-london-lint/checkout.md

WHAT IT DOES

What checkout does on Lint

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

RISK

Why checkout is rated Medium

Checkout modifies repository state by changing the current branch or restoring files from git history. While these operations are reversible (you can checkout another branch or restore different files), they constitute write operations that alter the working state and can affect subsequent operations.

From the tool's definition Tool "checkout" performs git branch switching and file restoration operations. Description states it "Switches branches or restores files" - these are reversible write operations that modify the working directory state and potentially update HEAD reference.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs checkout safely

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

checkout Rate-limited

checkout 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": {
    "checkout": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "checkout_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 Lint, apply this rule, and every checkout call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about checkout

What does the checkout tool do? +

Switches branches or restores files. Returns structured data with ref, previous ref, whether a new branch was created, and detached HEAD status. Pass. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Lint MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on checkout? +

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

What risk level is checkout? +

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

Can I rate-limit checkout? +

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

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

checkout is provided by the Lint MCP server (Dave-London/Pare). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

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Guides

Govern customer-ops agents →Argument validation →Scoped token →