Summary
Several users have asked whether the client SDKs can also be used to host an LLM and register as a provider node on the IICP mesh. They cannot — this is an architectural distinction that should be clearly documented.
Architecture
Provider side (join the mesh as a node):
Python adapter → iicp-node (Rust binary) → iicp-directory-php
Consumer side (use the mesh to route tasks):
iicp-client-python (this SDK)
iicp-client-typescript
iicp-client-rust
The client SDKs implement the consumer half of ADR-016: discover nodes, select, submit tasks, receive results. They do not:
- Register with the directory
- Send heartbeats
- Serve inbound task requests
- Expose a health endpoint
To run a provider node, see iicp.network/docs/node-setup.
Fix
Add an "Architecture" section to the README between Install and Quickstart that explains the consumer/provider split and links to the node setup guide.
Summary
Several users have asked whether the client SDKs can also be used to host an LLM and register as a provider node on the IICP mesh. They cannot — this is an architectural distinction that should be clearly documented.
Architecture
The client SDKs implement the consumer half of ADR-016: discover nodes, select, submit tasks, receive results. They do not:
To run a provider node, see iicp.network/docs/node-setup.
Fix
Add an "Architecture" section to the README between Install and Quickstart that explains the consumer/provider split and links to the node setup guide.