MCP → skill conversion

Build-along · ~12 min at your own keyboard

A common pattern: prototype with an MCP server, then convert the proven workflow into a skill that calls the API directly. One course author's Gmail labeler went from MCP prototype to a direct-API skill that did 100 emails in 36 seconds. The catch is sign-in. Simple services use an API key. Account services like Gmail use OAuth: you approve specific access (scopes), get a token that expires and must be refreshed, and can be revoked. Your skill now owns all of that. Decide on speed AND the upkeep.

The long version: MCP to skill ↗

Do this

0/5

Checkpoints

▸You should now see a skill that calls the API directly.
▸You should now see both versions run on the same input.
▸You should now see the speed and accuracy comparison.

The three ways this goes wrong

The skill returns different results from the server. — Run both on the same small input and diff them. Fix the skill's query.
It worked yesterday and fails today with an auth error. — OAuth tokens expire. Make the skill refresh the token, and if refresh fails, stop with a clear 're-authorize' message.
You evict the server too early. — Keep the server until the skill passes 3 real runs.

Share what happened

Paste the head-to-head result (accuracy + speed), the auth type and scope, what happened when access was revoked or expired, and your keep/evict decision.

Strip API keys, passwords, and tokens before you paste. Swap them for [KEY].

🔒 Don't paste confidential, personal-health, or payment info.