This record as markdown: /tools/io-tinyfn-tinyfn/format-duration.md
What format_duration does on TinyFn
AI agents call format_duration to retrieve information from TinyFn 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
seconds | integer | Yes | Duration in seconds |
verbose | boolean | — | Use verbose format (1 hour 2 minutes) |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why format_duration is rated Low
This is a deterministic utility function that converts a numeric input (seconds) into a human-readable duration string. It performs no mutations, does not interact with external systems, and cannot cause harm if called with arbitrary arguments. It belongs in the Read category as a data transformation utility.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'format_duration' and description 'Format seconds as duration' indicate a pure formatting/conversion operation that reads input and returns formatted output with no side effects, no data modification, and no external operations.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs format_duration safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and TinyFn, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For format_duration, this is the rule to start with:
format_duration 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 TinyFn, apply this rule, and every format_duration call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about format_duration
Format seconds as duration. It is categorised as a Read tool in the TinyFn MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
format_duration accepts 2 parameters: seconds, verbose. Required: seconds. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the TinyFn MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for format_duration: 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 TinyFn. Nothing to install.
format_duration 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 format_duration 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 format_duration. 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.
format_duration is provided by the TinyFn MCP server (https://api.tinyfn.io/mcp/all/). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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