This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-malamutemayhem-unclick-mcp-server/hn-item.md
What hn_item does on UnClick
AI agents call hn_item to retrieve information from UnClick 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
id | number | Yes |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why hn_item is rated Low
This tool retrieves publicly available Hacker News data by ID. It performs a query/fetch operation with no capability to modify, delete, execute code, or move money. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—an agent could only retrieve data that is already public on Hacker News.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'hn_item' and description 'Get a specific Hacker News item by ID' indicate a retrieval operation with no side effects.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs hn_item safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and UnClick, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For hn_item, this is the rule to start with:
hn_item is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect UnClick, apply this rule, and every hn_item call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about hn_item
Get a specific Hacker News item by ID. It is categorised as a Read tool in the UnClick MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
hn_item accepts 1 parameter: id. Required: id. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the UnClick MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for hn_item: 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 UnClick. Nothing to install.
hn_item is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the hn_item 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for hn_item. 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.
hn_item is provided by the UnClick MCP server (@unclick/mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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