# explore_group_categories

List public/explore categories for a group.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `explore_group_categories`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/explore-group-categories

## Facts

- Tool: `explore_group_categories`
- Server: Mealie MCP Server (`nikopol666/mealie-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/nikopol666/mealie-mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "explore_group_categories",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why explore_group_categories is rated Low

This tool queries and lists existing categories without creating, modifying, or deleting data. The use of 'List' and 'explore' clearly indicates a retrieval operation with no side effects, fitting the Read category. The severity is low because accessing category information poses minimal risk even if misused by an agent.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'explore_group_categories' and description 'List public/explore categories for a group' indicate a read-only operation that retrieves category data without modification or side effects."

## Use case

AI agents call explore_group_categories to retrieve information from Mealie MCP Server without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Mealie MCP Server:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "explore_group_categories": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Mealie MCP Server (242)

- `bulk_delete_recipes` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/bulk-delete-recipes.md
- `delete_admin_backup` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-admin-backup.md
- `delete_admin_group` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-admin-group.md
- `delete_admin_household` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-admin-household.md
- `delete_admin_user` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-admin-user.md
- `delete_category` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-category.md
- `delete_comment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-comment.md
- `delete_cookbook` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-cookbook.md
- `delete_food` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-food.md
- `delete_group_label` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-group-label.md
- `delete_group_report` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-group-report.md
- `delete_household_notification` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-household-notification.md
- `delete_household_webhook` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-household-webhook.md
- `delete_meal_plan_entry` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-meal-plan-entry.md
- `delete_meal_plan_rule` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-meal-plan-rule.md
- `delete_recipe` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-recipe.md
- `delete_recipe_action` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-recipe-action.md
- `delete_recipe_image` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-recipe-image.md
- `delete_recipe_timeline_event` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-recipe-timeline-event.md
- `delete_recipe_tool` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-recipe-tool.md
- `delete_shared_recipe_record` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-shared-recipe-record.md
- `delete_shopping_item` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-shopping-item.md
- `delete_shopping_items` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-shopping-items.md
- `delete_shopping_list` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-shopping-list.md
- `delete_tag` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-tag.md
- `delete_unit` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-unit.md
- `delete_user_api_token` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-user-api-token.md
- `delete_user_favorite` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/delete-user-favorite.md
- `purge_recipe_exports` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/purge-recipe-exports.md
- `remove_recipe_from_shopping_list` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp/remove-recipe-from-shopping-list.md
- …and 212 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/nikopol666-mealie-mcp.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=nikopol666-mealie-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/nikopol666-mealie-mcp