Analyze the import graph to detect circular dependencies between files.
AI agents call detect_circular_dependencies to retrieve information from Codebase Context without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
The tool performs static analysis of the codebase's import relationships—it queries and examines the dependency graph to report findings. This is characteristic of Read category tools: it retrieves information about code structure and reports results with no side effects, modifications, or code execution.
From the tool's definition The tool 'detect_circular_dependencies' analyzes the import graph to identify circular dependencies. This is a read-only analysis operation that retrieves and examines existing code structure without modifying, executing code, or deleting any data.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access detect_circular_dependencies gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Codebase Context, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for detect_circular_dependencies:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"detect_circular_dependencies": {}
}
}detect_circular_dependencies is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Analyze the import graph to detect circular dependencies between files. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Codebase Context MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Codebase Context MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for detect_circular_dependencies: 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 Codebase Context. Nothing to install.
detect_circular_dependencies 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 detect_circular_dependencies 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 detect_circular_dependencies. 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.
detect_circular_dependencies is provided by the Codebase Context MCP server (patricksys/codebase-context). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 11 Codebase Context tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
11 Codebase Context tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.