# list_categories

List all categories/tags with entry counts

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `list_categories`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/list-categories

## Facts

- Tool: `list_categories`
- Server: ContextForge MCP Gateway (`jrmatherly/mcp-context-forge`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/jrmatherly/mcp-context-forge
- 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": "list_categories",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why list_categories is rated Low

This tool performs a retrieval operation ('List') that queries existing categories and their counts. No data is created, modified, deleted, or executed. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—an agent could only enumerate metadata, which has no security or operational impact.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'list_categories' and description 'List all categories/tags with entry counts' indicate a read-only query operation that retrieves and enumerates existing metadata without modification or side effects."

## Use case

AI agents call list_categories to retrieve information from ContextForge MCP Gateway 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 ContextForge MCP Gateway:

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

## Other tools on ContextForge MCP Gateway (220)

- `clear_cache` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/clear-cache.md
- `delete_slide` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/delete-slide.md
- `agent.benchmark_performance` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/agent.benchmark-performance.md
- `bitbucket_trigger_pipeline` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/bitbucket-trigger-pipeline.md
- `build_schedule` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/build-schedule.md
- `calculate_stats` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/calculate-stats.md
- `compile_document` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/compile-document.md
- `critical_path_analysis` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/critical-path-analysis.md
- `execute_code` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/execute-code.md
- `generate_qr_code` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/generate-qr-code.md
- `judge.rank_responses` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/judge.rank-responses.md
- `performance.evaluate_throughput_scaling` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/performance.evaluate-throughput-scaling.md
- `query_data` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/query-data.md
- `render_graph` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/render-graph.md
- `robustness.assess_distribution_shift` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/robustness.assess-distribution-shift.md
- `robustness.measure_input_sensitivity` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/robustness.measure-input-sensitivity.md
- `robustness.test_adversarial_inputs` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/robustness.test-adversarial-inputs.md
- `statistical_test` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/statistical-test.md
- `transform_data` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/transform-data.md
- `workflow.run_evaluation` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/workflow.run-evaluation.md
- `agent.analyze_reasoning` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/agent.analyze-reasoning.md
- `agent.evaluate_tool_use` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/agent.evaluate-tool-use.md
- `agent.measure_task_completion` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/agent.measure-task-completion.md
- `analyze_code` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/analyze-code.md
- `analyze_csv` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/analyze-csv.md
- `analyze_dataset` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/analyze-dataset.md
- `analyze_document` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/analyze-document.md
- `analyze_feed` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/analyze-feed.md
- `analyze_graph` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/analyze-graph.md
- `analyze_text` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge/analyze-text.md
- …and 190 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge.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=jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/jrmatherly-mcp-context-forge