Concepts · plain language

What is an AI skill?

A skill is one ability you add to an AI assistant — browsing the web, reading your files, searching your Notion. Out of the box an assistant can only talk. Skills are how it gets hands.

Technically, a skill is an MCP server— a small program that speaks the Model Context Protocol, the open standard for connecting AI assistants to tools and data. You don't need to understand the protocol to use one, the same way you don't need to understand HTTP to open a website. "Skill" is simply the human word for it.

Skills come in two kinds, and the difference decides how easy setup is. Hosted skillsrun on the vendor's servers — Notion, GitHub, Linear, PayPal. You paste a URL into your app, sign in with your browser, done. Local skillsrun on your machine — browser automation, file access, memory. They need a short config entry and a one-time install of Node.js. That's the entire technical foundation; our start guide walks through it in 5 minutes.

What 32 skills in our directory can do

Browse the web

compare prices, fill forms, read any page

Work with your files

summarize invoices, find contracts — locally

Search the live web

current news and prices with sources

Connect your tools

Notion, Linear, Jira, GitHub, Stripe

Query databases

answers from your real data, in plain language

Remember you

preferences and facts across conversations

Browse all 32 skills →Step-by-step recipes →

FAQ

What is an AI skill in simple terms?
A skill is one ability you add to an AI assistant: operating a web browser, reading files in a folder you allow, searching your Notion workspace, querying a database. Out of the box an assistant can only talk — skills are how it gets hands.
What does MCP mean?
MCP stands for Model Context Protocol — the open standard (introduced by Anthropic, now industry-wide) that defines how assistants talk to skills. A "skill" and an "MCP server" are technically the same thing; skill is just the human word for it.
How do I install a skill?
Two ways. Hosted skills (Notion, GitHub, Linear): paste a URL into your app and sign in with your browser — nothing to install. Local skills (browser automation, file access): a short config entry plus a one-time install of Node.js. Every skill page in our directory generates the exact steps for your app.
Which apps support skills?
Any app that speaks MCP: Claude Desktop (easiest for non-developers), Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, and a growing list of others. You install a skill per app, and it's available in every conversation there.
Are skills safe?
Skills only get the access you grant: a file skill sees only folders you list, a hosted skill only what you approve at sign-in. Prefer official skills (marked in our directory), start with read-only tasks, and use test API keys for anything that can spend money.
What is the difference between a skill and an agent?
Skills are abilities, agents are actors. Your assistant becomes an agent the moment it uses skills to act in the world. See our agents-vs-skills explainer for the side-by-side.
What is an AI agent? →

The software that acts — and visits your website.

Agents vs. skills →

The difference, side by side.