---
title: "Skills, MCP and CLI: What Is the Difference for an Agent?"
slug: /blog/skills-vs-mcp-vs-cli
publishedAt: "2026-10-14"
updatedAt: "2026-10-14"
author: ott
description: "A skill teaches an agent how to work. An MCP server gives it tools. A CLI gives it a command. Display has all three, so here is the same task with each one, and the same result."
---

# What is the difference between a skill, an MCP server and a CLI?

> **TL;DR:** A skill is a set of instructions that the agent reads. An MCP server is a set of tools that the agent calls. A CLI is a command that the agent runs in a shell. Display (display.dev), the docs workspace for agents and people, has all three. They all publish to the same URL. Pick the one that your agent host supports best.

Display is our product. We checked the Display facts against the [CLI reference](/docs/cli-reference) and [MCP tools](/docs/mcp-server) on 14 October 2026.

---

## The short answer

|                     | Skill                                               | MCP server                                                 | CLI                                      |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| What it is          | A folder with a `SKILL.md` file of instructions     | A server that gives named tools                            | A program that the agent runs in a shell |
| What the agent does | Reads the instructions, then uses tools or commands | Calls a tool with structured input                         | Runs a command and reads the output      |
| Needs a shell       | Depends on the skill                                | No                                                         | Yes                                      |
| Works in chat apps  | Some                                                | Yes, through connectors                                    | No                                       |
| Display example     | The Display skill, added to the agent               | The Display MCP server at `https://api.display.dev/v1/mcp` | The Display CLI                          |

A skill does no work by itself. In Claude Code, a skill is a directory with a `SKILL.md` file. The host keeps the description of each skill in context. It loads the full text only when it uses the skill ([Claude Code docs](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills), checked 14 October 2026). The skill then tells the agent which tool or command to use, and in which order.

---

## The same task with each one

The task: publish a report for the company, then update it after a comment.

### With the CLI

The agent runs the Display CLI in its shell. It publishes the file for the company and gets the URL. Later it lists the comments and reads the artifact metadata. Then it publishes the next version at the same URL, based on the version that it edited. Read [CLI commands](/docs/cli-reference) for the commands.

### With MCP

The agent calls `publish` with the content and the visibility. For an update, it sends `base_version`, the version that it edited. Later it calls `list_comments`, then `edit` for one exact change, then `resolve_thread`. The authenticated server has 31 tools. Remote MCP keeps source reads small: `search` finds text and `read` returns that range. Read [MCP tools](/docs/mcp-server).

### With the skill

You ask: "Publish this report for the company. Fix the open comments." The skill tells the agent to publish, read the comments, make an exact edit, reply and resolve. The skill uses MCP or the CLI to do the work. Read [Agent skill reference](/docs/skill).

---

## Which one to choose

- **Claude on the web, desktop or mobile.** Use the connector from the [Claude directory](https://claude.ai/directory/display). It is MCP with OAuth.
- **Cursor, Codex, Claude Code.** Add the skill. It sets up the connection and teaches the workflow.
- **A script or a CI job.** Use the CLI with an API key.
- **No account yet.** Send `curl -X POST https://api.display.dev/v1/public/artifacts -F file=@report.html`. You get a preview URL for 30 days and a claim URL. Read [Publish without an account](/docs/claimable).

---

## When another approach is better

If you have only a chat window and cannot add a connector, the CLI will not run. Upload the file in the dashboard. If the agent has no shell and no MCP, use [web upload](/docs/web-upload).

---

## FAQ

**Is a skill the same as an MCP server?**

No. A skill is a set of instructions. An MCP server runs tools. A skill can tell the agent to call an MCP server.

**Do I need the skill if I have the MCP connection?**

No. The tools work without the skill. The skill adds the workflow, for example how to update the right version and how to reply to comments.

**Which one is the fastest to start?**

A publish without an account needs no sign-in. Ask the agent to publish the file without an account. It gives you a preview URL and a claim URL.

**Do all three publish to the same URL?**

Yes. An update from any of the three creates the next version at the same URL.