MCP vs agent skills vs CLI: which should you use?

Quick answer. Use an MCP server when the agent needs live, structured tools (a database, a browser, an API). Use an agent skill when you're adding know-how/instructions the agent loads on demand (a SKILL.md folder) — lighter on the context window. Use a CLI when a plain command does the job and you want zero protocol overhead. tashan tracks and scores MCP servers and skills in one place.

What's the difference between an MCP server and an agent skill?

An MCP server runs a process that exposes tools to the agent over the Model Context Protocol — good for live, stateful capabilities. An agent skill is a folder with a SKILL.md the agent reads when relevant — good for expertise/instructions, and it doesn't hold a tool connection open in the context window.

Is MCP dead now that skills and CLIs exist?

No — they're complementary units of capability. MCP wins for live tools; skills win for on-demand knowledge; CLIs win for simple deterministic commands. The real question per capability is fitness, not format — which is what tashan measures across all of them.

FAQ

Should I build an MCP server or a skill?

A skill if you're packaging instructions/know-how; an MCP server if you need to expose live tools or state. tashan scores both so you can see which comparable capabilities are actively maintained and genuinely used.

Do skills use less context than MCP?

Generally yes — skills load on demand and don't hold an open tool connection, which is why some teams prefer them for knowledge-heavy tasks.

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