get_request_flow
Trace request flow for a URL+method: route → middleware → controller → service (Laravel/Express/NestJS/Fastify/Hono/tRPC/FastAPI/Flask/DRF). Use to understand how a request is handled end-to-end. For middleware-only analysis use get_middleware_chain instead. Read-only. Returns JSON: { route, step...
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What get_request_flow does on Trace
AI agents call get_request_flow to retrieve information from Trace without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
Why get_request_flow is rated Low
This tool retrieves and queries information about code request flows across frameworks. It performs static analysis and navigation without side effects. The explicit "Read-only" designation and focus on tracing/understanding confirm it is purely informational retrieval, placing it firmly in the Read category.
From the tool's definition Tool description explicitly states "Read-only" and the purpose is to "Trace request flow" and "understand how a request is handled end-to-end". Returns structured data (JSON with route, steps, type, symbol_id, name, file) without modification.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs get_request_flow safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Trace, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For get_request_flow, this is the rule to start with:
get_request_flow 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 Trace, apply this rule, and every get_request_flow call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about get_request_flow
Trace request flow for a URL+method: route → middleware → controller → service (Laravel/Express/NestJS/Fastify/Hono/tRPC/FastAPI/Flask/DRF). Use to understand how a request is handled end-to-end. For middleware-only analysis use get_middleware_chain instead. Read-only. Returns JSON: { route, steps: [{ type, symbol_id, name, file }] }. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Trace MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Trace MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_request_flow: 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 Trace. Nothing to install.
get_request_flow 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 get_request_flow 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 get_request_flow. 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.
get_request_flow is provided by the Trace MCP server (nikolai-vysotskyi/trace-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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