Resource or plain prompt?
What a skill, a DESIGN.md or a rule adds over a prompt pasted into the chat, and when a prompt is enough.
Updated on
A prompt lives in a conversation: you have to find it, paste it, adapt it. A resource is installed once and your agent finds it on its own when the task calls for it.
What changes day to day
| Criterion | Prompt | Resource |
|---|---|---|
| Reuse | Pasted again every time | Installed once, loaded when needed |
| Content | Text | Instructions, templates, examples, sometimes scripts |
| Sharing | Copied from message to message | A folder versioned with the project or the team |
When a prompt is enough
For a single request, a short one or one tied to the context of the moment, a prompt does the job. As soon as you paste the same text for the third time, a resource will save you time.
Frequently asked questions
Does a skill replace my prompts?
No. A skill serves recurring tasks; for a one-off request, a prompt is still the fastest.
Does a resource weigh down every conversation?
Barely: the agent reads only a skill's short description and loads the rest when your request matches it.
Can I turn one of my prompts into a skill?
Yes: a prompt you reuse often becomes a skill once you put it in a SKILL.md file with a clear description of the task.