| name | cli-mcp-decision |
| description | Decide whether a workflow should use CLI skills, MCP, or a hybrid approach. Use when planning agentic tooling, writing ADRs, or evaluating migrations between CLI and MCP. |
| argument-hint | ["workflow context"] |
CLI MCP Decision
Use this skill to make repeatable, evidence-based integration decisions for agent tooling.
Quick Start
- Capture the workflow context and constraints.
- Apply MCP trigger scoring.
- Produce a recommendation with rationale, risks, and review cadence.
Inputs To Collect
- Workflow name and owner
- Clients that must be supported (Claude-only or multi-client)
- State requirements (stateless vs session/connection lifecycle)
- Contract requirements (typed schema, compliance constraints)
- Reuse scope (single team vs multi-team platform capability)
- Cost constraints (token budget, latency budget)
Decision Process
Step 1: Start From Default
Assume CLI/skills first for local, stateless, single-client workflows.
Step 2: Evaluate MCP Triggers
Count each trigger that applies:
- Cross-client interoperability is required
- Stateful sessions/connections are required
- Typed contracts/schema validation are required
- Capability is strategic and reused across teams
Step 3: Apply Crossover Rule
- If 2+ triggers apply: recommend
MCP
- If <2 triggers apply: recommend
CLI/skills
- If requirements split by workflow phase: recommend
Hybrid
Step 4: Validate Non-Functional Constraints
- Compare expected token overhead and latency
- Document reliability/fallback behavior
- Document security and ownership boundaries
Step 5: Output Decision Record
Return a concise decision block:
- Recommendation (
CLI/skills, MCP, or Hybrid)
- Trigger score (
N/4)
- Top 3 reasons
- Key risks and mitigations
- Reassessment date (default: 90 days)
Output Template
Decision: <CLI/skills|MCP|Hybrid>
Trigger score: <N>/4
Reasons:
1. ...
2. ...
3. ...
Risks:
- ...
Mitigations:
- ...
Reassess on: <YYYY-MM-DD>
Done When
