Are MCP and SKILLS Really Competitors? A Deep Dive
AerieJumpy3719 · reddit · 2026-07-22
Addressing the recent community debate comparing MCP (Model Context Protocol) and SKILLS, the author argues they serve different purposes and should be used together.
- MCP: Created by Anthropic, it connects external tools (like databases or GitHub) and private context to LLMs, solving the problem of external knowledge retrieval.
- SKILLS: Essentially a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). It uses structured instructions (e.g., a SKILL.md file) to guide the LLM to follow best practices for specific tasks like code review or project planning.
- Synergy: The author experimented with combining both, using MCP to provide tool access and SKILLS to define the execution steps, yielding better control over complex AI tasks.
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