ALWAYS use this tool when asked to explain what a function/class does, how it connects to other code, or who calls it. Returns type, file location, all incoming edges (callers, containers), all outgoing edges (callees), and summary counts. Do NOT read the source file — this tool provides the comp...
AI agents call nm_explain to retrieve information from NOMIK without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
nm_explain queries and retrieves graph metadata about code relationships (callers, callees, dependencies) without modifying the codebase or knowledge graph. It is a lookup/analysis tool with no side effects.
From the tool's definition Tool returns type, file location, incoming/outgoing edges, and summary counts from the knowledge graph. Keywords: 'Returns', 'provides...understanding' indicate data retrieval.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access nm_explain gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and NOMIK, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for nm_explain:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"nm_explain": {}
}
}nm_explain is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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ALWAYS use this tool when asked to explain what a function/class does, how it connects to other code, or who calls it. Returns type, file location, all incoming edges (callers, containers), all outgoing edges (callees), and summary counts. Do NOT read the source file — this tool provides the complete graph-level understanding. It is categorised as a Read tool in the NOMIK MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the NOMIK MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for nm_explain: 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 NOMIK. Nothing to install.
nm_explain 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 nm_explain 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 nm_explain. 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.
nm_explain is provided by the NOMIK MCP server (willfreed1/nomik). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from NOMIK, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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21 NOMIK tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.