Claude CoWork: choose a skill, connector or plugin for the job

Use a skill for the method

The March explanation breaks down Claude CoWork through skills, connectors and plugins. It starts with how skills work at 0:54 and introduces task-specific skill.md files. A useful starting question is what procedure or standard the assistant should follow repeatedly.

Write the task, expected result and relevant rules clearly enough that another run can follow the same method. This is different from supplying access to Gmail or Slack. Instructions about processing an email do not themselves connect the mailbox.

1. Choose one repeatable task and describe the output it should produce.
2. Follow the file-structure example to create the demonstrated skill.md.
3. Try the skill on a small input and compare the output with its instructions.

Use a connector for the external tool

The connector section begins at 4:19 and discusses services such as Gmail and Slack, plus MCP servers and API keys for custom connections. Keep the service connection distinct from the task instructions, so you can identify whether a failure is missing access or an unclear procedure.

1. Identify which external service the task needs.
2. Follow the recorded connector route and check the intended service account.
3. For a custom connection, use the MCP-server and key configuration shown in that section.
4. Inspect a small tool response before building the larger task around it.

Use plugins to organise related capabilities

Plugins and collections appear at 2:04, including marketplace browsing and customisation. The source presents bundling skills into specialised roles rather than treating every installed capability as necessary for every task. Build a role around its actual job, with the relevant instructions and external access visible.

The description mentions custom automations, but supplies no exact scheduled trigger or full automation recipe. Use this article to understand the components and test their combination on a concrete task. The retained scripting resource is https://scripti.ai. Keep the role’s instructions and connection requirements together so a later run starts with the same working assumptions.

The takeaway

A skill supplies the working method, a connector supplies service access and a plugin can organise related capabilities into a usable role.