rfc-agent-validator

# RFC Analysis Agent

An AI-powered conversational agent for searching, browsing, and analyzing IETF RFCs using DeepSeek.

**Includes empirical validation:** This project deliberately implements both custom API tools AND a simplified WebSearch-only version to test which approach produces better results. Real-world testing confirmed custom tools provide superior structured output.

## Three Ways to Use This Project

This project provides **three different implementations** demonstrating different architectural approaches:

### 1. Full Agent (`main.py`) - Uses External MCP Server
- Complete conversational RFC assistant
- Connects to `rfc_mcp_server.py` for RFC tools
- Clean separation of concerns (agent logic vs tool implementation)
- Best for: **Production use, modular architecture**

### 2. Simplified Agent (`main_simple.py`) - Built-in Tools Only
- **Validation tool** - Created to test if custom tools actually add value
- Uses only WebSearch and WebFetch (no custom API integration)
- Relies on DeepSeek's knowledge + web access
- **Real-world testing proved custom tools produce clearer, more structured output**
- Best for: **Quick prototypes, personal use, learning, comparison testing**

### 3. MCP Server (`rfc_mcp_server.py`) - Reusable Tool Service
- Standalone server exposing RFC tools via MCP protocol
- Can be used by Claude Desktop, other agents, any MCP client
- Stateless, reusable across multiple applications
- Best for: **Sharing tools, Claude Desktop integration, microservices**

See [MCP_SERVER.md](MCP_SERVER.md) for detailed instructions on running the MCP server.

**Try all three to see the architectural trade-offs!** Run both `main.py` and `main_simple.py` side-by-side with the same query to validate the structured output benefits yourself.

## Features

- **Search RFCs**: Search through IETF RFCs by keywords or topics
- **Fetch RFC Details**: Retrieve comprehensive metadata and abstracts for specific RFCs
- **Read RFC Content**: Fetch and analyze full RFC