MCP, skills and the API: which one should you use?

Vamo works with AI tools in three ways. MCP gives your assistant a set of Vamo tools it finds by itself. Skills are instructions your agent reads, and the API is for developers and scripts.

What each one is

MCP is a standard way for an AI tool to connect to another product. You connect your AI tool to the Vamo MCP server once. The tool then sees what Vamo offers and decides when to use it. You ask in plain language and the assistant does the rest.

Skills are plain instructions an agent reads. They teach the agent how to search and source well with Vamo. The agent then calls the Vamo API itself, using an API key. Skills do not use the MCP server.

The API is the direct route. A developer, a script or a coding agent sends requests to Vamo with an API key. Nothing sits in between.

When to pick each one

Pick MCP if you work in a chat assistant and want to ask questions in plain language. It suits recruiters. Some AI tools can sign in to the Vamo MCP server through the browser, so no key is handled. Sign-in or API key explains the two options.

Pick skills if your agent can read files and make web requests. Skills suit people who want the agent to follow Vamo's own sourcing method. They work in any agent that can read a file.

Pick the API if you are building something. That could be a script that runs on a schedule, or a feature inside your own product. It also suits a coding agent working in your codebase.

If you are unsure, the Pick your tool section at Set up > Get started > Set up by hand offers a route for your tool. Choose how to connect Vamo walks through the choice step by step.

How they work

With MCP, your assistant first reads Vamo's guide. It then writes one small program that asks Vamo for what you need. That program can only talk to Vamo. What code mode is covers this in more detail.

With skills, the agent reads the instructions when a task calls for them. It then makes the API requests the instructions describe, using the key you gave it.

With the API, your code makes each request and reads each answer. You decide what to call and what to do with the result.

All three reach the same Vamo account and the same developer search. A key or a signed-in tool can search, run research, work with lists and get contact details. None of them can run outreach, manage members or change billing. Those stay in the Vamo app.

Using more than one

The three are separate and can be combined. A recruiter can sign in from a chat app while a developer on the same account calls the API with a key. Use the Vamo MCP server and the API together covers an agent that has both.

Keys and signed-in tools both appear at Set up > API keys. There you can revoke a key or remove a signed-in tool.

What to do next

To connect an AI tool over MCP, open Set up by hand in the app. The Pick your tool section writes the current steps for the tool you choose.

To use skills, browse the skills catalog. The skills install page has the current steps for each tool.

To build on the API, read the API reference. Create a key at Set up > API keys. Keys are available on the Pro and Enterprise plans.