Unclear It is not clear whether loading skills from MCP servers is switched on by default.
What
A skill is a packaged set of instructions, kept in a SKILL.md file, that Claude can use for a particular kind of task. Claude Code can now load skills that an MCP server lists. An MCP server is an outside program that gives Claude Code extra tools.
- Checking: each skill's
SKILL.mdis read from the server and must match the server's own listing in size, in its sha256 fingerprint (a code calculated from the file's exact contents) and in its frontmatter (the header at the top of the file). - Caching: copies already saved are reused.
- Rejects: skills that fail a check are reported with the reason.
- Names: each skill is named after its server, and clashing names are told apart.
If a server changes a skill or stops providing it, Claude Code tells you to reconnect the server from /mcp to refresh its skills.
Why
MCP servers become a new source of skills. The fingerprint check means a skill is only loaded if its contents match what the server listed.
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It is not clear whether loading skills from MCP servers is switched on by default.