Skills, Connectors, and Plugins: What They Actually Are
CLAUDE TIPS
Phillip Twyford
Skills, Connectors, and Plugins
If you've started using Claude and seen these three terms pop up, you're not alone in finding them a bit blurry. They sound similar. They're not. Each one does something distinct, and once you understand what each one is for, you'll immediately see how to use them in your own business.
Here's a clear breakdown.
What a Skill Is
A skill is a set of instructions you give Claude so it can carry out a specific task the same way every time.
That's it. You write the instructions once, what you want Claude to do, how you want it done, what format you want the output in, and Claude follows them every time you trigger that skill.
I've built skills for tasks I was doing repeatedly in my business. An Instagram reel hook generator. An SEO opportunity analyser. An outreach copywriter. A YouTube title specialist. Each one was a task I was already doing; I just got tired of re-explaining what I wanted every session.
The question worth asking yourself is: what tasks do you do regularly where you want the same approach and format every time? Those are your candidates for a skill.
What a Connector Is
A connector is where you give Claude access to an external tool, your Gmail, your Google Calendar, your Canva account, so it can actually work inside those tools.
The difference from a skill is significant. A skill gives Claude instructions. A connector gives Claude access.
The practical example I use every day: I connected my Gmail to Claude. Every morning, Claude reads the newsletters I've subscribed to and produces one clean summary document. I don't have to open ten different emails. I get one report, and I'm done in two minutes instead of thirty.
The permissions side of this matters, and it's worth paying attention to. When you connect something like Gmail, you decide exactly what Claude is allowed to do. In my case, Claude can read emails for the newsletter digest. But if it ever wants to create a draft email or delete anything, it requires my explicit approval. You're always in control of what Claude can and can't touch.
My recommendation: if you work in Google Workspace, connecting your Gmail is a strong starting point. Browse the other connectors too. Canva is a popular one, because there's a good chance some of the tools you use every day already have a connector available.
What a Plugin Is
A plugin is a pre-built bundle. Someone has already put together a set of skills and the relevant connectors, packaged them around a specific use case, and made the whole thing available to install.
The Anthropic marketing plugin is a good example. When you install it, you're getting a brand review skill, a competitive brief skill, content creation skills, plus connectors for tools like Slack, Canva, Figma, HubSpot, and Notion. It's a ready-made content workflow.
Airtable has a plugin, too. If you use Airtable in your business and want Claude to work with your data there, you install the Airtable plugin and the setup is largely done for you.
Before you install any plugin, you can read exactly what it does and what skills and connectors it includes. Worth spending two minutes on that before committing.
Where to Find All Three
They're all in the same place. Go to Customise in Claude, and you'll see Skills, Connectors, and Browse Plugins.
Skills show you what you've built. Connectors show what you've connected and let you add more. Browse Plugins takes you to the full directory.
Read all my other Digital Sparks here.
FAQ'S
Q1: What's the difference between a skill and a connector in Claude?
A: A skill gives Claude instructions; you define a task once, and Claude follows the same process every time you trigger it. A connector gives Claude access to an external tool, like Gmail or Canva, so it can work inside those platforms. One tells Claude how to work. The other tells Claude where it can go.
Q2: What kind of tasks are worth turning into a Claude skill?
A: Any task you do regularly where you want the same approach and output format every time. Common examples include writing outreach emails, generating social media hooks, analysing SEO opportunities, or summarising reports. If you find yourself re-explaining the same brief at the start of each session, that task is a skill candidate.
Q3: Can I control what Claude is allowed to do when I connect Gmail or other tools?
A: Yes. When you connect a tool like Gmail, you decide exactly what Claude can and can't do. Reading emails for a digest is separate from creating drafts or deleting messages; each action requires your explicit approval. You're granting specific access, not handing over full control of the account.
Q4: What is a Claude plugin, and how is it different from a skill or connector?
A: A plugin is a pre-built bundle that combines relevant skills and connectors around a specific use case. Instead of building everything yourself, it comes packaged together. The Anthropic marketing plugin, for example, includes content creation skills plus connectors for Slack, Canva, Figma, and HubSpot, ready to install as a single unit.
Q5: How do I decide whether to build a skill, add a connector, or install a plugin first?
A: Ask what problem you're solving. If you repeat a task and want consistent output, build a skill. If you want Claude working inside a tool you already use, add a connector. If there's a pre-built bundle that matches your workflow, a plugin saves you the setup time. Pick one and start there.