First, what is a Skill? Then: which jobs want a Skill, an Agent, both, or either?
Start with a clear picture of what a Skill really is, then use one simple framework to place any request, definitely a Skill, definitely an Agent, a great combo of both, or a call that could go either way.
Tap a card to see what each one is — each opens a quick interactive demo
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So, what is a Skill?
A Skill is a packaged-up prompt template that teaches AI how to do one specific job well. Instead of re-explaining your process, your preferences, and your quality bar every time, you capture all of it once, and the AI reuses it whenever that same task comes up.
How to perceive a Skill
Think of a Skill as a mini playbook you hand to the AI. It is not the worker and it is not the workflow, it is the captured know-how for a single, well-defined task.
A Skill does not decide when to run or what comes next. It simply guarantees that when a specific job is asked for, it gets done consistently, to your standard, without you re-teaching it.
The frame that sticks: a Skill is a unit of expertise. It makes one task repeatable and reliable, so the quality no longer depends on who is prompting or how they phrase it.
The 4 ingredients of a good Skill
1
StepsThe sequence the AI should follow to do the job.
2
LogicThe judgment rules, e.g. handle different file formats differently.
3
Examples & templatesSo the AI knows what good output actually looks like.
4
ToolsWhat the AI should use to actually get the work done.
02
The framework: which job needs what?
Not every job wants the same tool. Use this four-way split to place any request. Click a category to see concrete use cases and the tell-tale signal that puts it there.
Definitely a Skill Definitely an Agent Agent + Skill combo Could be either
03
Skill vs Agent, at a glance
They are not competing ideas. Skills are the building blocks; Agents are the workflows that use those building blocks. The difference that matters day to day is scope.
Skill
Focused on the task
Does one repeatable task and makes it consistent
Captures steps, logic, examples, and the right tools once
Reused on demand whenever that job comes up
No timing, no orchestration, no cross-step decisions
Best when you care that output looks the same every time
Agent
Focused on the process
Runs the full process around the task, end to end
Gathers information, makes decisions, takes actions
Can be triggered by a person, an event, or a schedule
Decides when to call the right Skill along the way
Best when the work spans multiple adaptive steps
04
Decision guide
Answer one question about the job in front of you and get pointed to the right pattern.
What are you actually trying to do?
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The one-line summary
Skills are units of expertise. Agents are the workflows that decide when and how to apply them. Use a Skill for one repeatable task, an Agent for a full process, and both together when a bigger workflow still needs steps done the right way every time.
Use a Skill when…the job is one small, repeatable task and you care about consistency.
Use an Agent when…the work spans multiple steps, decisions, and actions.
Use both when…a flexible workflow still needs certain steps done exactly right.
When unsure…ask if it's one consistent task (Skill) or a process with decisions (Agent).