ECF Core

Stop coding agents from guessing what they are allowed to use.

ECF Core is a local-first context and policy compiler for source-grounded agents. It turns files, documentation, policies, code symbols, and safe local descriptors into inspectable evidence and an MCP context surface.

npm install -g agoragentic-ecf-core
ecf-core init .
ecf-core compile . --agent-os
ecf-core serve-mcp .ecf-core

Expected local outputs include:

.ecf-core/
├── source-map.json
├── source-manifest.json
├── code-index.json
├── context-router.json
├── evidence-units.json
├── policy-summary.json
├── grounding-eval.json
└── agent-os-import.json

A blocked source such as .env is recorded as policy evidence; its raw contents are not served as context.

No cloud account. No wallet. No marketplace route. No hosted runtime. Those are separate products and owner decisions.

Run the proof · CLI reference · Connect an IDE · Preview Agent OS

Why ECF Core

A coding agent can read a large repository and still answer from the wrong source, miss a policy boundary, use stale context, or expose a blocked file. ECF Core gives the agent a governed context map before it edits.

It is useful when you need:

• source-preserving retrieval rather than an opaque answer bundle;
• exact paths, hashes, code symbols, and citations;
• explicit allowed and blocked source classes;
• deterministic context-routing artifacts;
• local grounding evaluation;
• a local MCP server for Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, or another MCP client;
• a no-spend handoff into Triptych OS (Agent OS) preview.

ECF Core is not a generic hosted RAG application. The default flow does not require a vector database, cloud storage, a wallet, or a paid model API.

Five-minute proof

1. Initialize

ecf-core init .

2. Compile local evidence

ecf-core compile . --agent-os

3. Evaluate grounding and policy artifacts

ecf-core eval .
ecf-core eval . --grounding

4. Inspect what is allowed and blocked

cat .ecf-core/policy-summary.json
cat .ecf-core/source-manifest.json
cat .ecf-core/evidence-units.json

Success means the artifacts exist, allowed sources retain provenance, blocked paths remain blocked, and evaluation reports do not invent evidence.

Local MCP

Generate client configuration and serve the compiled context locally:

ecf-core mcp-config --target codex . --write
ecf-core serve-mcp .ecf-core

A generic stdio configuration looks like:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ecf-core": {
      "command": "ecf-core",
      "args": [
        "serve-mcp",
        "/absolute/path/to/project/.ecf-core"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Example tool behavior:

ecf_core.search_context({"query":"What policy applies before editing?"})
→ path="docs/security.md"
→ source_id="docs/security.md#policy"
→ policy.allowed=true
→ citation="policy-summary.json:allowed_sources[0]"

ecf_core.get_policy({})
→ blocked_paths include .env, private keys, local databases,
  dependency folders, build output, and generated ECF artifacts

The MCP server serves compiled local artifacts. It does not create a hosted Agoragentic runtime or upload the repository to Agoragentic Cloud.

What gets compiled

bounded local sources
        ↓
source-map.json + source-manifest.json
        ↓
policy-summary.json + evidence-units.json
        ↓
page/tree indexes + code-index.json
        ↓
context-router.json + retrieval-plan.json
        ↓
grounding-eval.json
        ↓
optional agent-os-import.json

The public compiler supports:

• filesystem and Markdown/document sources;
• code-symbol and import indexing;
• SQLite schema summaries;
• OpenAPI summaries;
• MCP context-provider summaries;
• policy-aware evidence units;
• page, tree, and retrieval-plan artifacts;
• deterministic context compaction reports;
• built-in semantic-lite ranking;
• optional precomputed-result provider contracts for systems such as Qdrant, Chroma, GitNexus/code graphs, and MCP context providers;
• local resident worklog and handoff artifacts;
• source-preview .NET compatibility artifacts for C#, ASP.NET Core, and EF Core.

See the documentation index for the complete public surface.

Product boundary

ECF Core is:

• open source;
• local-first and self-hosted;
• a context and policy compiler;
• source-map and citation aware;
• able to serve local MCP context;
• able to prepare Agent OS preview artifacts.

ECF Core is not:

• hosted Triptych OS;
• the private Full ECF platform runtime;
• a wallet or x402 settlement executor;
• marketplace ranking or fraud scoring;
• a tenant-isolated enterprise control plane;
• a certification, audit opinion, or compliance attestation.

Micro ECF
→ lightweight local context contract and small artifact workflow

ECF Core
→ richer self-hosted context governance, routing, evaluation, and local MCP

Triptych OS (Agent OS)
→ hosted deployment, runtime, budgets, APIs, receipts, marketplace access,
  x402 options, and reconciliation

Full ECF
→ private/internal platform infrastructure; not a public self-serve package

Agent OS preview

Compile an owner-reviewable handoff:

ecf-core compile . --agent-os
ecf-core agent-os-preview .ecf-core
ecf-core validate .ecf-core

Then, with a separately obtained Agoragentic API key:

AGORAGENTIC_API_KEY=YOUR_AGORAGENTIC_API_KEY \
  npx -y agoragentic-os@latest preview .ecf-core/agent-os-import.json

Preview is not deployment. It does not provision runtime, fund a wallet, expose an agent publicly, publish a listing, enable x402, change trust, or authorize spend.

Resident work context

ECF Core can preserve inspectable local continuity across sessions through generated worklog, handoff, and context-pack artifacts. This is local file state, not hidden cloud memory.

Use it to record:

• active goal;
• checkpoints and evidence;
• validation performed;
• incomplete work;
• documentation impact;
• next-session prompt.

The resident layer can recommend or summarize. It does not automatically approve, edit, spend, deploy, publish, or mutate credentials.

ECF Core vs. Micro ECF

Choose Micro ECF when you want the smallest durable project contract, bounded source map, policy summary, context packet, and Agent OS Harness export.

Choose ECF Core when you also need richer compilation, code indexes, context routing, grounding evaluation, evidence units, resident context, provider contracts, or a local MCP server.

Migration guide: Micro ECF to ECF Core.

Development

Requires Node.js 20 or newer.

git clone https://github.com/rhein1/agoragentic-ecf-core.git
cd agoragentic-ecf-core
npm install
npm test
npm run check
npm run docs:check
npm run pack:dry

Full release validation:

npm run release:dry

The test suite is deterministic and local unless a specific opt-in example says otherwise.

Documentation

• Documentation index
• Animated local workflow walkthrough
• CLI reference
• Architecture
• Evidence units
• Agent OS import
• Rust framework Agent OS importer — preview-only contract for a local Agoragentic Rust framework HTTP/JSON runtime
• MCP registry checklist
• Micro ECF migration
• .NET source-preview lane
• Glossary
• Troubleshooting
• Security policy
• Changelog

Where this fits

• Local control and receipts: Harness Core
• Small local context contract: Micro ECF
• Evidence-first Codex workflows: Fable-5
• Hosted governed runtime: Triptych OS
• Agent work and commerce: Marketplace and Interchange
• Integration hub: Agoragentic Integrations

Use the canonical ecosystem profile for current portfolio metadata. This README intentionally does not duplicate mutable integration counts.

Private / Full ECF inquiries

Full ECF is not included here and is not a self-serve public SKU. For a scoped dedicated context-governance use case, contact support@agoragentic.com. That contact path is not a claim of SOC 2 status, independent audit, enterprise readiness, hosted availability, settlement support, or marketplace verification.

License

Apache-2.0. See LICENSE.