Look up a symbol by symbol_id or FQN and return its source code. Use instead of Read when you need one specific function/class/method — returns only the symbol, not the whole file. For multiple symbols at once, prefer get_context_bundle. Read-only. Returns JSON: { symbol_id, name, kind, fqn, sign...
AI agents call get_symbol to retrieve information from Trace without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves and queries source code metadata and symbols without side effects. It performs read-only lookup operations returning symbol information (name, kind, FQN, signature, file location, source). No data creation, modification, deletion, code execution, or financial impact occurs.
From the tool's definition Tool description explicitly states 'Read-only' and 'Look up a symbol...and return its source code'. Returns metadata and source code without modification. Contrasts itself with `get_context_bundle` for batch retrieval—pure information lookup.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_symbol gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Trace, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_symbol:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"get_symbol": {}
}
}get_symbol is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Look up a symbol by symbol_id or FQN and return its source code. Use instead of Read when you need one specific function/class/method — returns only the symbol, not the whole file. For multiple symbols at once, prefer get_context_bundle. Read-only. Returns JSON: { symbol_id, name, kind, fqn, signature, file, line_start, line_end, source }. 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_symbol: 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_symbol 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_symbol 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_symbol. 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_symbol 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.
Deterministic rules across all 178 Trace tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
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178 Trace tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.