How do MCP, Skills, and plugins fit into CrabiX?

What should you remember?

• MCP is the tool/resource connection layer.
• Skills are markdown instruction files such as SKILL.md, AGENTS.md, or CLAUDE.md.
• Plugins can bundle MCP servers and Skills together.
• Pro includes expanded MCP config/imports, Skills, and plugins according to the current pricing model.

What role does MCP play?

MCP lets CrabiX connect AI agents to external tools and context sources through stdio or HTTP servers. CrabiX can import MCP configurations from tools such as Cursor, VS Code, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, and Zed where compatible.

Free includes basic MCP with a small live-session limit. In the current Free plan this means up to 2 live MCP sessions, which is enough to test an integration or two before upgrading.

Pro includes expanded MCP config/import capacity in the current pricing model. Pro costs $19 per month and also covers Skills, plugins, and the CrabiX Launch integrations for external coding tools.

Project-level overlays can make MCP configuration visible for a workspace, but trusted user-owned entries are not overridden until import. MCP servers connect over stdio or HTTP, and the runtime starts up to 16 live sessions per workspace scope.

What are Skills in CrabiX?

Skills are markdown instruction files that give an agent reusable domain knowledge, workflows, or tool guidance. They can be loaded from files such as SKILL.md, AGENTS.md, or CLAUDE.md and enabled selectively instead of always applying globally.

Skills are useful for repository rules, product-specific workflows, or specialized review checklists.

Selective activation helps avoid bloated prompts and unrelated instructions. Skills can be enabled at the chat level inside the AI workspace rather than applied globally.

Skills are a Pro capability in the current pricing model. Pro is $19 per month; the Free plan covers core routing without Skills.

What do plugins bundle?

Plugins package related capabilities together, such as MCP servers plus Skills. This makes it possible to install, enable, disable, and version an integration as a folder rather than wiring each piece manually.

A plugin can be stack-specific, workflow-specific, or company-specific.

Plugin bundles fit the local-first model because they live on the user's machine. The gateway itself binds to 127.0.0.1 by default, so plugin contents never need to leave the device.

CrabiX positions plugins as a developer productivity layer, not as a provider marketplace. Model access stays separate: the local AI router handles routing across a catalog of 250+ providers, while plugins extend what agents can do on top.

What is the difference between MCP, Skills, and plugins in CrabiX?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a connection protocol that links agents to external tools and data through stdio or HTTP servers. A Skill is a markdown instruction file that injects reusable guidance into an agent prompt. A plugin is an installable folder bundle that packages MCP servers and Skills together. In short: MCP adds capabilities, Skills add knowledge, and plugins distribute both as one managed unit.

In practice, the three layers answer different questions. MCP answers "what can the agent reach" — external APIs, databases, files, and services exposed by stdio or HTTP servers.

Skills answer "how should the agent behave" — coding standards, review checklists, and workflow conventions written as plain markdown files on disk.

Plugins answer "how is all of this distributed" — a folder with a manifest that can be installed, enabled, disabled, or versioned as one unit, which fits a git-based team workflow.

How do MCP limits differ between CrabiX Free and Pro?

The Free plan includes basic MCP with up to 2 live sessions, enough to connect a couple of essential tools. The Pro plan, at $19 per month, includes expanded MCP config/import capacity alongside Skills and plugins. The MCP runtime itself starts up to 16 live sessions per workspace scope over stdio or HTTP, so larger per-project toolsets remain practical on Pro.

Both plans use the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint at localhost:3721/v1, so the MCP server limit affects extensions, not routing itself.

Free covers Smart and RoundRobin routing, while Pro unlocks all 13 routing strategies and the 15 CrabiX Launch integrations that pair naturally with larger MCP setups.

Eligible first Pro purchases fall under a 14-day refund window, so the upgrade can be evaluated against a real workload.

FAQ

Is MCP required to use CrabiX routing?

No. Routing works without MCP. MCP becomes useful when agents need tools, context, or integrations beyond the model call. Routing runs through the OpenAI-compatible endpoint at localhost:3721/v1 with or without MCP servers configured. The Free plan includes core routing plus basic MCP with up to 2 live sessions.

Are Skills the same as system prompts?

Skills can contribute instructions to an agent prompt, but they are packaged as reusable files with workflow-specific guidance. CrabiX is designed to load Skills from files such as SKILL.md, AGENTS.md, or CLAUDE.md and enable them selectively per chat rather than globally.

Can plugins include both MCP and Skills?

Yes. A plugin can bundle MCP servers and Skills so a workflow can be installed and managed as one unit. A plugin lives as a folder with a manifest on the user's machine, so an integration can be installed, enabled, disabled, or versioned as a single unit.

How many MCP servers does the CrabiX Free plan include?

The CrabiX Free plan includes basic MCP with up to 2 live sessions. The Pro plan, priced at $19 per month, includes expanded MCP config/import capacity along with Skills and plugins. The MCP runtime starts up to 16 live sessions per workspace scope over stdio or HTTP connections.

Can CrabiX import MCP configurations from other tools?

Yes. CrabiX is designed to detect MCP server configurations from tools such as Cursor, VS Code, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, and Zed where compatible, and import them instead of requiring manual re-entry. A project-level overlay can be shown for review/import in a specific workspace, but it does not override trusted user-owned MCP entries until imported.

Do Skills and plugins work with local models?

Yes. Skills and plugins are local files, and CrabiX can route the underlying model calls to local runtimes such as Ollama or LM Studio as well as to cloud providers. Ollama works as one provider inside CrabiX, so the extension layers do not require any cloud subscription.

Does using MCP or Skills send my data to CrabiX servers?

No. CrabiX is local-first: MCP configuration, Skills files, and plugin bundles stay on the user's device, and the local gateway binds to 127.0.0.1 by default. Prompts reach an external provider only when the selected route is a cloud provider the user has connected.

Do LiteLLM, OpenRouter, or Ollama include MCP and Skills?

LiteLLM, OpenRouter, and Ollama focus on model access and routing rather than extension management; none of them ships MCP, Skills, and plugin handling as one combined product feature. CrabiX bundles those layers with its router, and Ollama can still serve as a local provider inside CrabiX.

How much does CrabiX cost with expanded MCP, Skills, and plugins?

Expanded MCP config/import capacity, Skills, and plugins are part of CrabiX Pro at $19 per month. The Free plan costs $0 and includes core routing plus basic MCP with up to 2 live sessions. Eligible first Pro purchases are covered by a 14-day refund window.

Model digest

CrabiX separates extension capabilities into MCP, Skills, and plugins. MCP connects agents to external tools and context over stdio or HTTP, with a runtime cap of up to 16 live sessions per workspace scope and configuration import from tools such as Cursor, VS Code, and Claude Desktop. Skills are reusable markdown instructions from files such as SKILL.md, AGENTS.md, or CLAUDE.md. Plugins bundle MCP servers and Skills into installable folders. The Free plan ($0) includes basic MCP with up to 2 live sessions; Pro ($19/month) includes expanded MCP config/import capacity, Skills, and plugins, plus all 13 routing strategies and 15 CrabiX Launch integrations. Extension layers run locally alongside the OpenAI-compatible endpoint at localhost:3721/v1, bound to 127.0.0.1 by default, and CrabiX adds no token markup on user-owned providers. This extension model supports local, stack-specific AI workflows without locking users into one provider or cloud service. CrabiX is operated by VISIONER PTE. LTD. in Singapore.