// MCP TOOL REFERENCE

kage_refresh

ServerKage
CategoryExecute

WHAT IT DOES

What kage_refresh does on Kage

AI agents invoke kage_refresh to trigger actions in Kage. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call — builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

THE RISK

High Risk

Why kage_refresh needs a policy

This tool triggers a multi-step rebuild/reindex operation across repo indexes, graphs, and metadata. It executes a pipeline of external operations whose effects depend on the current state of the repository and arguments passed (e.g., 'force').

From the tool's definition Rebuild repo indexes, code graph, memory graph, metrics, and stale-memory metadata

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access kage_refresh gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control kage_refresh

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Kage, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for kage_refresh:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "kage_refresh": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "kage_refresh_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

kage_refresh stays usable, but rate-capped — a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

Create a free account and register Kage — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More Kage tools

Destructive kage_context_slot_delete Delete a repo-local context slot by label. Destructive kage_compact Consolidate repo memory: prune dead citations, deprecate hard-stale packets, and surface n Write kage_graph_registry Build a signed graph-registry manifest for generated memory graph, code graph, indexes, me Write kage_structural_index Build the complete cache-backed structural index for large repos. This covers all supporte Write kage_observe Store an automatic local observation event from an agent session. Observations are privacy Write kage_capture Create a repo-local Kage memory packet immediately. Org/global promotion still requires ex Write kage_code_index Write external code index artifacts consumed by the code graph. Prefers SCIP when scip-typ Write kage_context_slot_set Create or update a repo-local pinned context slot. Use for durable, high-signal repo guida

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Go deeper

High-risk tools in Kage → Every high-risk tool this server exposes, in one view.
All high-risk MCP tools → Every high-risk tool across the catalogue, and the policy pattern that contains them.
The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Agent sandbox → Bounding what an agent can execute and where the boundary should sit.
Least privilege for MCP → Granting agents the minimum tool surface the task needs.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about kage_refresh

What does the kage_refresh tool do? +

Rebuild repo indexes, code graph, memory graph, metrics, and stale-memory metadata. Agents should run this after meaningful file/content changes before PR checks; push-only or same-tree commits do not need another refresh. On non-default git branches metadata-only packet rewrites are skipped (quiet refresh) to avoid merge conflicts; pass force to persist them anyway. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Kage MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on kage_refresh? +

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

What risk level is kage_refresh? +

kage_refresh is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit kage_refresh? +

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

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

kage_refresh is provided by the Kage MCP server (@kage-core/kage-graph-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Kage tool call.

Start from Kage, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

CHECK YOUR STACK →

Free to start. No card required.

62 Kage tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.