pg_distance

Find nearby geometries within a distance from a point. Output distance_meters is always in meters; unit parameter only affects the filter threshold.

SERVERPostgreSQL MCP Server SOURCE@neverinfamous/postgres-mcp

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-neverinfamous-postgres-mcp/pg-distance.md

WHAT IT DOES

What pg_distance does on PostgreSQL MCP Server

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

RISK

Why pg_distance is rated Low

This tool performs a geospatial read query to identify geometries within a specified distance threshold. It queries and retrieves data without side effects—no data is created, modified, deleted, or executed. The output is purely informational (distance_meters). This is a standard Read operation with low risk, as misuse would only return unwanted spatial results, not cause system damage or data loss.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'pg_distance' and description 'Find nearby geometries within a distance from a point' indicate a spatial query operation that retrieves data based on geometric proximity. No modification, deletion, or execution of arbitrary operations is mentioned.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs pg_distance safely

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

pg_distance Allowed

pg_distance 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": {
    "pg_distance": {}
  }
}

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

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

FAQ

Questions about pg_distance

What does the pg_distance tool do? +

Find nearby geometries within a distance from a point. Output distance_meters is always in meters; unit parameter only affects the filter threshold. It is categorised as a Read tool in the PostgreSQL MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on pg_distance? +

Register the PostgreSQL MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for pg_distance: 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 PostgreSQL MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is pg_distance? +

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

Can I rate-limit pg_distance? +

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

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

pg_distance is provided by the PostgreSQL MCP Server MCP server (@neverinfamous/postgres-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

What pg_distance does on PostgreSQL MCP Server

Why pg_distance is rated Low

The rule that runs pg_distance safely

Questions about pg_distance

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