browse_nodes

Browse the knowledge graph structure. Returns the tree from a starting node (or root) with 3 levels of children. Use this to understand how knowledge is organized before searching or saving.

Server Idea Basin msfixer101/idea-basin-mcp
Category Read
Risk class Low
Parameters 00 required

What browse_nodes does on Idea Basin

AI agents call browse_nodes to retrieve information from Idea Basin without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

Why browse_nodes needs a policy

This tool only retrieves and displays existing hierarchical structure from the knowledge graph. It has no capability to create, modify, delete, execute code, or affect financial systems. The blast radius of misuse is minimal—an agent could only view organized information that is already stored. This is a classic Read operation.

From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Returns the tree from a starting node' and is used to 'understand how knowledge is organized.' The word 'browse' and 'returns' indicate read-only retrieval of structural information with no modification or side effects.

Risk signalsAdmin/system-level operation

Questions about browse_nodes

What does the browse_nodes tool do? +

Browse the knowledge graph structure. Returns the tree from a starting node (or root) with 3 levels of children. Use this to understand how knowledge is organized before searching or saving. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Idea Basin MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on browse_nodes? +

Register the Idea Basin MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for browse_nodes: 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 Idea Basin. Nothing to install.

What risk level is browse_nodes? +

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

Can I rate-limit browse_nodes? +

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

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

browse_nodes is provided by the Idea Basin MCP server (msfixer101/idea-basin-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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