mcp-to-skill

# MCP-to-Skill Converter Convert MCP servers into on-demand skills. MCP tool schemas sit in the system prompt on every turn (~500-2000 tokens per tool, regardless of whether they're used). Skills cost zero tokens until loaded via `view`. For a typical setup with 4-5 MCP servers exposing 20-40 tools, this reclaims 10,000-30,000 tokens of context per turn. This matters because that's 10-30% of the context window burned before the conversation even starts — and it compounds: every turn re-injects the full schema. ## Decision Framework: Convert vs. Keep Not every MCP should become a skill. Apply this heuristic: **Convert when** the MCP wraps a REST API (use curl/web_fetch), wraps a CLI tool (gh, aws, gcloud — invoke directly), implements a reasoning/planning pattern (capture as methodology), or when you use fewer than half its tools regularly. **Keep as MCP when** it maintains persistent server-side state (DB connections, WebSocket sessions), handles binary protocols or streaming, provides real-time event subscriptions, or is tiny (1-2 tools, under 500 tokens — negligible overhead). **Hybrid approach** — convert the stateless tools to a skill, keep stateful ones as a slimmed-down MCP. This is often the sweet spot for large MCP servers. --- ## Conversion Workflow Proceed through 5 phases. Present findings at each phase boundary and wait for user confirmation before continuing. The user knows their usage patterns better than any analysis can infer — lean on their input. ...