inspect_element

Get full inspection data for a component including props, state, hooks

Server React Devtools skylarbarrera/react-devtools-mcp
Category Read
Risk class Low
Parameters 00 required

What inspect_element does on React Devtools

AI agents call inspect_element to retrieve information from React Devtools without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

Why inspect_element needs a policy

This tool retrieves debugging information about React component internals (props, state, hooks) for analysis purposes. It has no side effects, does not modify component state or execute arbitrary code, and does not trigger external operations. It is purely informational, analogous to reading diagnostic data.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Get full inspection data for a component including props, state, hooks' — retrieves and queries component metadata without modifying or executing code.

Questions about inspect_element

What does the inspect_element tool do? +

Get full inspection data for a component including props, state, hooks. It is categorised as a Read tool in the React Devtools MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on inspect_element? +

Register the React Devtools MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for inspect_element: 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 React Devtools. Nothing to install.

What risk level is inspect_element? +

inspect_element is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit inspect_element? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the inspect_element 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.

How do I block inspect_element completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for inspect_element. 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.

What MCP server provides inspect_element? +

inspect_element is provided by the React Devtools MCP server (skylarbarrera/react-devtools-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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