Skills and MCP
Instructions describe a workflow; connections give an agent access to tools and information.
Skills package know-how#
A skill describes how to approach a task. It can contain instructions, reference material, and optional scripts. An agent loads and uses those resources according to its own skill support.
MCP connects systems#
The Model Context Protocol provides a standard interface between AI applications and external systems. An MCP server can expose tools, resources, and other capabilities to a compatible client.
A research skill might outline a source-review process while an MCP connection provides access to a document system. The two can complement each other; installing one does not automatically configure the other.
Choose what the task needs#
Use instructions when the missing piece is a repeatable method. Use an integration when the agent needs access to a system. Some workflows need both.
Check the permissions of any integration and the behavior of any bundled scripts. Neither format makes third-party instructions automatically trustworthy.