A Claude Skill is a set of markdown instructions in a file called SKILL.md that teaches an AI agent, such as Claude Code or Cursor, how to complete a specific task according to a team's methods, with no server or API to configure. This differs from an MCP tool, which gives an agent the ability to do something, like read a Figma file; a skill tells the agent how and when to do it well. The Figma MCP server provides access to files, while a design system skill provides the driving instructions. The problem is that AI agents often generate components with hardcoded hex values and invented buttons, skipping the design system because the rules were not written down for the agent to read. A skill provides a stable set of rules, ensuring the agent checks the library first, binds values to tokens, and uses existing components. Skills work in Claude Code, Cursor, and other MCP-compatible clients that support the Figma MCP server. In Figma’s 2025 AI report, more than 80% of designers and developers said learning to work with AI will be essential to their future success.