Agent Skills vs MCP
Agent Skills and MCP servers solve different parts of the AI agent workflow: skills package know-how, while MCP exposes tools and external context.
Use Agent Skills for process
A skill is best when the agent needs reusable instructions: how to review code, generate a document, inspect a spreadsheet, or follow a domain workflow. It can include local scripts, references, and examples.
Use MCP for capabilities
MCP is best when the agent needs a live connection to tools, databases, APIs, browser state, files, or application-specific resources. It gives the agent callable capabilities rather than just instructions.
Use both together
The strongest setup often combines both: a skill tells the agent what process to follow, and MCP gives it reliable tools to execute that process.
- Skill: describes the workflow and quality bar
- MCP: provides the tool calls or resources
- Agent: decides when to use each capability