Add why-and-when doc: value proposition and decision guide (#62)
* Add why-and-when doc explaining value proposition and decision guide Adds docs/why-and-when.md covering why skills over MCP matters (same channel as tools, discovery, dynamic updates, control model, multi-server composition, enterprise distribution) and when MCP distribution adds value vs simpler alternatives. Linked from README and problem-statement. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com> * Add why-and-when summary to README before problem statement Gives newcomers the value proposition immediately: skills are context, MCP is a context protocol, and remote MCP servers can serve tools and know-how together. Links to the full doc for depth. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com> * Add portable sub-agent point to why-and-when doc Skills over MCP replaces the pattern of independently wrapping each MCP server in a custom sub-agent with hand-written instructions — the server author ships orchestration guidance once, everyone benefits. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com> * Acknowledge enterprise trust trade-offs in both directions Address PR feedback: git-based and MCP-based skill distribution each raise different governance concerns. Link to open question on security and trust boundaries. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com> --------- Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
parent
36c5abddb7
commit
b2a2119984
1 changed files with 105 additions and 0 deletions
|
|
@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ This Interest Group explores how "[agent skills](https://agentskills.io/)" (rich
|
|||
- **Client implementation mandates:** We can document patterns but not require specific client behavior
|
||||
- **Plugin/bundle packaging:** Some use cases surface a broader need for installable bundles (skills + servers + subagents + configuration as a single artifact). How to solve for this is out of scope.
|
||||
|
||||
## Why Skills Over MCP?
|
||||
|
||||
MCP servers give agents tools, but tools alone are insufficient for complex workflows — tool descriptions tell an agent *what* a tool does, not *how to orchestrate* multiple tools to achieve a goal. Skills bridge this gap. They are structured "how-to" knowledge: multi-step workflows, conditional logic, and orchestration instructions that can run to hundreds of lines.
|
||||
|
||||
Skills are *context*, and MCP is a *context protocol*. Agents already connect to remote services over MCP to get tools — they can get the know-how to use those tools through the same channel. A remote MCP server can serve both its tools and the instructions for using them together, as a single atomic unit. This also enables automatic discovery (connect to a server, find its skills), dynamic updates (server-side changes flow without reinstall), multi-server composition (skills orchestrating tools across servers), and enterprise distribution (RBAC, multi-tenant, version-adaptive content) — all through infrastructure MCP servers already provide.
|
||||
|
||||
See [why-and-when.md](docs/why-and-when.md) for the full value proposition and a guide for when MCP distribution applies vs. simpler alternatives.
|
||||
|
||||
## Problem Statement
|
||||
|
||||
Native "skills" support in host applications demonstrates demand for rich workflow instructions, but there's no convention for exposing equivalent functionality through MCP primitives. Current limitations include:
|
||||
|
|
@ -38,6 +46,7 @@ See [problem-statement.md](docs/problem-statement.md) for full details.
|
|||
| Document | Description |
|
||||
| :--- | :--- |
|
||||
| [Problem Statement](docs/problem-statement.md) | Current limitations and gaps |
|
||||
| [Why Skills Over MCP?](docs/why-and-when.md) | Value proposition and decision guide |
|
||||
| [Use Cases](docs/use-cases.md) | Key use cases driving this work |
|
||||
| [Approaches](docs/approaches.md) | Approaches being explored (not mutually exclusive) |
|
||||
| [Open Questions](docs/open-questions.md) | Unresolved questions with community input |
|
||||
|
|
|
|||
Loading…
Reference in a new issue