# Reference tools

> The get_reference tool, which returns label colors, view icons, the filter grammar, rule options, limits and safety rules for the other tools.

Source: https://docs.maylee.app/mcp/tools/reference

One tool, listed first because the server tells the assistant to read it before creating labels, views or rules. It is free: it never counts against the quota. The same content is served as MCP resources `maylee://reference/<topic>`, and rendered on [Reference data](/mcp/reference-data).

## get_reference

**Get Maylee reference data**. Permission: **Read** · Hints: read-only, idempotent

Returns reference information you need to use the other tools correctly: label colors, view icons, the view filter grammar with examples, AI label rule options, auto-forward and inbox filter options, snippet and signature icons, folders and system views, scheduling rules, limits and quotas, permissions and safety rules. Call it before creating labels, views or rules. Each topic comes as Markdown plus the same information as structured data; topic all returns everything (long). The same content is available as resources maylee://reference/<topic>. Reading it never counts against the request quota.

### Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `topic` | string | yes | Which reference to return. overview: Maylee concepts and toolsets. label_colors: the seven label colors. view_icons: emoji icons for views. view_filters: filter grammar and examples for views and list_emails. ai_label_rules: AI label rule options. auto_forward_rules and inbox_filters: their options. snippet_icons and signature_icons: accepted icon names. folders_and_views: folders and system views. scheduling: scheduled send rules. limits: quotas, bulk sizes, field sizes. permissions: read, write, send. security: safety rules. all: everything. One of: `all`, `overview`, `label_colors`, `view_icons`, `view_filters`, `ai_label_rules`, `auto_forward_rules`, `inbox_filters`, `snippet_icons`, `signature_icons`, `folders_and_views`, `scheduling`, `limits`, `permissions`, `security`. |

### Output

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `topic` | all, overview, label_colors, view_icons, view_filters, ai_label_rules, auto_forward_rules, inbox_filters, snippet_icons, signature_icons, folders_and_views, scheduling, limits, permissions, security | The topic returned. |
| `markdown` | string | Human-readable reference text in Markdown. |
| `data` | object | The same reference as structured data. For topic all, an object keyed by topic. |