Coding agents can be extended with commands, MCP tools, MCP prompts, skills, subagents, hooks, plugins, and memories—but not all of these are worth your time. This video cuts through the noise to explain what each extension actually does, how it works under the hood, and when you should use it. Commands are simple markdown files that inject instructions when you type a slash shortcut, while MCP tools are server-based capabilities the AI can invoke automatically based on context. Skills bridge the gap, offering the simplicity of markdown with automatic invocation like MCP. MCP prompts deliver the same ease of commands but with centralized distribution through a server.

The key insight is that skills and MCP aren't competing—they're complementary. MCP gives agents abilities by connecting them to APIs and external systems, while skills teach agents how to use those abilities according to your team's conventions. Commands work best when you never want automatic invocation, skills shine for workflows the LLM should recognize and trigger on its own, and MCP handles capabilities plus centralized distribution across teams and projects. Agent-specific features like subagents and hooks lock you into particular tools, so sticking with commands, MCP, and skills keeps your setup portable and maintainable.

#AIAgent #Skill #MCP #Command

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▬▬▬▬▬▬ 🔗 Additional Info 🔗 ▬▬▬▬▬▬
➡ Transcript and commands: https://devopstoolkit.live/ai/commands-vs-mcp-vs-skills-what-i-use
🔗 Claude Code: https://code.claude.com/

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▬▬▬▬▬▬ ⏱ Timecodes ⏱ ▬▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 Agent Commands vs. MCP vs. Skills
00:46 Slash Commands
04:49 MCP Tools
10:22 MCP Commands (Prompts)
13:35 Agent Skills
20:16 Agent-Specific Extensions
21:47 Slash Commands vs MCP vs Skills

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Commands vs MCP vs Skills (What I Use)