diagnostics

Get diagnostics (errors, warnings, info) for a file or entire workspace. Instantly see all problems without running builds - includes type errors, linting issues, and more

ServerMCP Server for VS Code
CategoryRead

How to control diagnostics ↓

WHAT IT DOES

What diagnostics does on MCP Server for VS Code

AI agents call diagnostics to retrieve information from MCP Server for VS Code without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

THE RISK

Low Risk

Why diagnostics needs a policy

This tool only reads and reports diagnostic data from VS Code's analysis engines. It has no side effects, cannot modify code or state, and poses minimal security risk. A misused tool would only expose diagnostic information about code, which is read-only analysis output. Classified as Read with low severity.

From the tool's definition The tool retrieves diagnostic information (errors, warnings, info) for files or workspace. The description explicitly states 'Get diagnostics' and 'see all problems' with no mention of modification, deletion, or execution capabilities.

Risk signalsBulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets

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

POLICY

How to control diagnostics

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

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "diagnostics": {}
  }
}

diagnostics is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

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

CAP THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More MCP Server for VS Code tools

Destructive debug_clearBreakpoints Remove all breakpoints from the workspace Execute debug_evaluateExpression Evaluate an expression in the current debug context (REPL/watch functionality). Test hypot Execute debug_startSession Start a debug session using a configuration from launch.json. Launch debugging instantly - Execute debug_stepOver Step over the current line of code (execute current line without entering functions) Execute debug_stopSession Stop the current debug session Execute debug_continueExecution Continue execution from the current breakpoint or paused state Execute debug_pauseExecution Pause the running debug session at the current execution point Execute debug_stepInto Step into function calls on the current line

All 25 MCP Server for VS Code tools →

Read tools on other servers

M-Team MCP Server get_torrent_detail YouTube MCP Server search_channel Android Forensics ADB MCP Server parse_browser_history 0xarchive web3_challenge

Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Data exfiltration → How read access becomes an exfiltration channel when chained with untrusted content.
MCP token cost → What connecting this server costs in context-window tokens on every request.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about diagnostics

What does the diagnostics tool do? +

Get diagnostics (errors, warnings, info) for a file or entire workspace. Instantly see all problems without running builds - includes type errors, linting issues, and more. It is categorised as a Read tool in the MCP Server for VS Code MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on diagnostics? +

Register the MCP Server for VS Code MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for diagnostics: 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 MCP Server for VS Code. Nothing to install.

What risk level is diagnostics? +

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

Can I rate-limit diagnostics? +

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

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

diagnostics is provided by the MCP Server for VS Code MCP server (malvex/mcp-server-vscode). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every MCP Server for VS Code tool call.

Start from MCP Server for VS Code, 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.

25 MCP Server for VS Code tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.