get_references

Find all usages/references of a symbol across the entire TypeScript project.

Server Headless Codebase Indexer y1hanh/codebase-indexer-mcp
Category Read
Risk class Low
Parameters 00 required

What get_references does on Headless Codebase Indexer

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

Why get_references needs a policy

This tool retrieves symbol references from a codebase for navigation and understanding purposes. It performs semantic queries and data lookup with no side effects, no code execution, no data modification, and no destructive operations. It is purely informational, fitting the Read category with low severity since misuse would only expose existing codebase structure without enabling harmful actions.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_references' and description 'Find all usages/references of a symbol across the entire TypeScript project' indicate read-only operations that retrieve and query existing data without modifying or executing anything.

Risk signalsBulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets

Questions about get_references

What does the get_references tool do? +

Find all usages/references of a symbol across the entire TypeScript project. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Headless Codebase Indexer MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on get_references? +

Register the Headless Codebase Indexer MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_references: 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 Headless Codebase Indexer. Nothing to install.

What risk level is get_references? +

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

Can I rate-limit get_references? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_references 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 get_references completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get_references. 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 get_references? +

get_references is provided by the Headless Codebase Indexer MCP server (y1hanh/codebase-indexer-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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