# swarm_init

Initialize a swarm with persistent state tracking Use when native Task tool is wrong because you need multi-agent coordination — topology (hierarchical/mesh/star), consensus (raft/byzantine/gossip/crdt/quorum), shared memory namespace, or anti-drift gates. For independent one-shot subagents, native Task is fine; spawn each separately.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `swarm_init`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/swarm-init

## Facts

- Tool: `swarm_init`
- Server: Ruflo (`ruvnet/ruflo`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/ruvnet/ruflo
- Risk category: Execute (High risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

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

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

## Why swarm_init is rated High

This tool bootstraps and launches a multi-agent swarm system with persistent state, network topology configuration, and consensus protocols. It triggers the creation and coordination of external autonomous agent operations, which qualifies as Execute.

From the tool's own definition: "'Initialize a swarm with persistent state tracking', 'multi-agent coordination', 'topology (hierarchical/mesh/star)', 'consensus (raft/byzantine/gossip/crdt/quorum)', 'shared memory namespace', 'anti-drift gates'"

## Use case

AI agents invoke swarm_init to trigger actions in Ruflo. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Rate-limited**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Ruflo:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "swarm_init": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "swarm_init_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Ruflo (495)

- `agent_terminate` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/agent-terminate.md
- `agentdb_batch` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/agentdb-batch.md
- `agentdb_causal-edge-delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/agentdb-causal-edge-delete.md
- `agentdb_causal-node-delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/agentdb-causal-node-delete.md
- `agentdb_hierarchical-delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/agentdb-hierarchical-delete.md
- `autopilot_reset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/autopilot-reset.md
- `config_reset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/config-reset.md
- `federation_wg_keyrotate` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/federation-wg-keyrotate.md
- `hooks_intelligence-reset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/hooks-intelligence-reset.md
- `hooks_worker-cancel` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/hooks-worker-cancel.md
- `iot_device_remove` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/iot-device-remove.md
- `iot_device_unpair` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/iot-device-unpair.md
- `iot_firmware_rollout_rollback` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/iot-firmware-rollout-rollback.md
- `iot_fleet_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/iot-fleet-delete.md
- `iot_fleet_remove_device` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/iot-fleet-remove-device.md
- `managed_agent_terminate` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/managed-agent-terminate.md
- `memory_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/memory-delete.md
- `policy_revoke` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/policy-revoke.md
- `ruvector_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/ruvector-delete.md
- `session_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/session-delete.md
- `system_reset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/system-reset.md
- `task_cancel` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/task-cancel.md
- `wasm_agent_reset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/wasm-agent-reset.md
- `wasm_gallery_remove_custom` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/wasm-gallery-remove-custom.md
- `workflow_cancel` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/workflow-cancel.md
- `workflow_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/workflow-delete.md
- `agent_pool` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/agent-pool.md
- `agent_spawn` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/agent-spawn.md
- `agentdb_consolidate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/agentdb-consolidate.md
- `agentdb_route` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo/agentdb-route.md
- …and 465 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/ruflo.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`

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