tasq/node_modules/agentic-flow/docs/archived/MCP_PROXY_VALIDATION.md

MCP Tools with Proxy - Validation Results

Summary

MCP tools work with Anthropic (direct API), but have limitations with proxy providers (Gemini, OpenRouter).

Test Results

✅ Anthropic Provider (Direct) + MCP

export ENABLE_CLAUDE_FLOW_SDK=true
node dist/cli-proxy.js --agent coder --task "Use mcp__claude-flow-sdk__memory_store to save key='direct-test' value='MCP confirmed working'" --provider anthropic

Result: ✅ WORKING

• MCP tools listed: 7 tools available
• Memory store successful: direct-test=MCP confirmed working (21 bytes)
• All MCP tools accessible

Available MCP Tools with Anthropic:

1. mcp__claude-flow-sdk__memory_store - Store persistent memory
2. mcp__claude-flow-sdk__memory_retrieve - Retrieve from memory
3. mcp__claude-flow-sdk__memory_search - Search memory patterns
4. mcp__claude-flow-sdk__swarm_init - Initialize swarm
5. mcp__claude-flow-sdk__agent_spawn - Spawn agents
6. mcp__claude-flow-sdk__task_orchestrate - Orchestrate tasks
7. mcp__claude-flow-sdk__swarm_status - Get swarm status

⚠️ Gemini Provider (Proxy) + MCP

export ENABLE_CLAUDE_FLOW_SDK=true
export GOOGLE_GEMINI_API_KEY="..."
node dist/cli-proxy.js --agent coder --task "Use MCP to store data" --provider gemini

Result: ⚠️ MCP TOOLS NOT RECOGNIZED

• Proxy starts correctly on port 3000
• Gemini API calls work
• But MCP tools are NOT exposed to Gemini models
• Model response: "I lack the capability to execute code that interacts with external tools"

Issue: Claude Agent SDK may not pass MCP servers to proxy-based providers

⏱️ OpenRouter Provider (Proxy) + MCP

export ENABLE_CLAUDE_FLOW_SDK=true
export OPENROUTER_API_KEY="..."
node dist/cli-proxy.js --agent coder --task "Use MCP tools" --provider openrouter

Result: ⏱️ TIMEOUT (60+ seconds)

• Proxy starts correctly
• But test hangs when trying to use MCP tools
• Likely same issue as Gemini

Root Cause Analysis

Why MCP Works with Anthropic But Not Proxies

Code Location: src/agents/claudeAgent.ts:193-202

const queryOptions: any = {
  systemPrompt: agent.systemPrompt,
  model: finalModel,
  permissionMode: 'bypassPermissions',
  allowedTools: ['Read', 'Write', 'Edit', 'Bash', 'Glob', 'Grep', 'WebFetch', 'WebSearch', 'NotebookEdit', 'TodoWrite'],
  mcpServers: Object.keys(mcpServers).length > 0 ? mcpServers : undefined  // ✅ MCP configured
};

// Add environment overrides for proxy
if (Object.keys(envOverrides).length > 0) {
  queryOptions.env = {
    ...process.env,
    ...envOverrides  // Contains ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL for proxy
  };
}

The Issue:

1. Claude Agent SDK's query() function receives mcpServers configuration
2. When env.ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL is set (for proxy), SDK might:
   • Route API calls through proxy ✅
   • But NOT pass MCP tool definitions to the proxied model ❌
3. Gemini/OpenRouter see the request but without MCP tool schemas

Why This Happens

The Claude Agent SDK likely:

1. Connects to MCP servers locally (✅ works)
2. Sends tool schemas to Anthropic API directly (✅ works)
3. When proxy is used, tool schemas may not be forwarded (❌ issue)

Proxy Translation Flow:

[Claude Agent SDK]
  ↓ (with MCP tools)
[ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=proxy]
  ↓ (MCP tools lost?)
[Gemini/OpenRouter Proxy]
  ↓ (no MCP schemas)
[Gemini/OpenRouter API]
  ↓
Model: "I don't have access to MCP tools"

Workarounds

Option 1: Use Anthropic for MCP Tasks

# For tasks requiring MCP tools, use Anthropic provider
export ENABLE_CLAUDE_FLOW_SDK=true
npx agentic-flow --agent coder --task "Store data in MCP" --provider anthropic

Option 2: Use Proxy for Simple Tasks

# For tasks NOT needing MCP, use Gemini/OpenRouter
npx agentic-flow --agent coder --task "Write code" --provider gemini
# MCP not available, but basic tools (Read/Write/Bash) work

Option 3: Separate MCP from Proxy Workflows

# Step 1: Generate code with cheap provider
npx agentic-flow --agent coder --task "Create function" --provider openrouter

# Step 2: Store results with Anthropic + MCP
export ENABLE_CLAUDE_FLOW_SDK=true
npx agentic-flow --agent coder --task "Store results in MCP" --provider anthropic

Current Capabilities Matrix

Provider	Proxy	Basic Tools	MCP Tools	Cost Savings
Anthropic	❌ Direct	✅ Read, Write, Bash	✅ All 7 MCP tools	Baseline
Gemini	✅ Yes	✅ Read, Write, Bash	❌ Not available	85% cheaper
OpenRouter	✅ Yes	✅ Read, Write, Bash	⏱️ Timeout/Not working	90% cheaper
ONNX	❌ Local	✅ Read, Write, Bash	❓ Untested	100% free

Recommendations

For Production Use

1. MCP-Required Tasks: Use Anthropic provider

   • Memory persistence, swarm coordination, complex workflows
   • Accept higher cost for MCP capabilities

2. Code Generation: Use Gemini/OpenRouter

   • Simple file creation, code writing, refactoring
   • 85-90% cost savings, MCP not needed

3. Hybrid Approach: Route intelligently

   const needsMCP = task.includes('memory') || task.includes('swarm');
   const provider = needsMCP ? 'anthropic' : 'gemini';
   

Future Improvements

To make MCP work with proxies, we would need to:

1. Modify Proxy Translation:

   • Extract MCP tool schemas from SDK
   • Include them in Anthropic→Gemini/OpenRouter translation
   • Map tool_use responses back

2. Alternative Architecture:

   • MCP proxy layer separate from model proxy
   • SDK connects to MCP directly, uses model proxy only for inference
   • Keep MCP tool execution local

3. SDK Enhancement Request:

   • File issue with Claude Agent SDK team
   • Request: Support MCP with custom ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL
   • Or: Provide hooks to inject MCP tools into proxied requests

Conclusion

✅ What Works: Anthropic + MCP (full functionality) ⚠️ What's Limited: Gemini/OpenRouter + MCP (tools not exposed) 🔧 Workaround: Use Anthropic for MCP tasks, proxies for simple code generation

v1.1.10 Status: Proxy functionality ✅ complete, MCP via proxy ⚠️ limited (architecture constraint)