Building AI Agents: Tools, MCP, Skills, Sandboxes Each Solve Different Problems
bibryam · x · 2026-11-08
The author argues that when building AI agents, not every problem should be solved by "adding another tool." Instead, pick the right layer for the right problem:
- Tool: solves a coding problem
- MCP: solves an interoperability problem
- Skill: solves a procedure problem
- Plugin: solves a packaging problem
- Sandbox: solves an isolation problem
- Runtime: solves a lifecycle & density problem
- Gateway: solves an access-control problem
These layers work together but are not interchangeable — different problems belong at different layers.
Related event: A Layered Approach to Building AI Agents: Tools, MCP, Skills, and Sandboxes(2 posts)→
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