Chat, Skill, or agent: what’s the difference?

A sample for reviewing the design. This text is abbreviated; it is not a finished blog publication.

These words often appear together, but describe different ways of working. Their exact meanings vary across platforms. Here is the general idea.

Chat: a conversation

You ask a question, get an answer, and refine the task through conversation.

Skill: a set of instructions

A prepared approach to a particular task, such as reviewing a document against specific rules. The files and tools involved depend on the implementation.

Agent: a sequence of actions

An agent may choose its next steps and use available tools within its permissions. The label does not automatically mean it runs unattended or starts on its own.

Start with your task. If a single prompt does the job, a more complex system may not be needed yet.