Get the accessibility tree of the VSCode window. Provides a semantic, role-based view of the UI that is often cleaner and more meaningful than raw DOM. Includes ARIA labels, roles, and states.
AI agents call vscode_get_accessibility_tree to retrieve information from VSCode Automation MCP without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves and inspects UI structure metadata without side effects. It is purely informational—querying the accessibility tree of a VSCode window to understand the current state of the UI. While it operates within a VSCode instance that can be automated via sibling Execute/Destructive tools, this specific tool performs only read operations analogous to DOM inspection or UI querying.
From the tool's definition Tool name and description indicate it 'Get[s] the accessibility tree' and 'Provides a semantic, role-based view' with no mention of modification, execution, or deletion. Returns UI metadata (ARIA labels, roles, states) for inspection purposes only.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access vscode_get_accessibility_tree gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and VSCode Automation MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for vscode_get_accessibility_tree:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"vscode_get_accessibility_tree": {}
}
}vscode_get_accessibility_tree is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
Free to start. No card required.
Get the accessibility tree of the VSCode window. Provides a semantic, role-based view of the UI that is often cleaner and more meaningful than raw DOM. Includes ARIA labels, roles, and states. It is categorised as a Read tool in the VSCode Automation MCP MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the VSCode Automation MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for vscode_get_accessibility_tree: 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 VSCode Automation MCP. Nothing to install.
vscode_get_accessibility_tree 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 vscode_get_accessibility_tree 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 vscode_get_accessibility_tree. 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.
vscode_get_accessibility_tree is provided by the VSCode Automation MCP server (sukarth/vscode-automation-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from VSCode Automation MCP, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
61 VSCode Automation MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.