A prompt is something you type once. A command is a shortcut to a saved prompt. A skill is a complete, reusable workflow with defined inputs, sequential steps, and a specified output — one that persists across sessions and can be installed, shared, and versioned like software.
The Prompt: Where Everyone Starts
A prompt is the simplest unit of AI interaction — a message you type that asks Claude to do something. “Summarize this transcript in 200 words” is a prompt. It works once, in this conversation, for this input. Next time you have a transcript to summarize, you type it again. Prompts are powerful but ephemeral — they disappear when the conversation ends.
Most people start here, and that’s fine. Prompts are the right tool for exploratory, one-off tasks where you’re still figuring out what you need. But once you find yourself typing the same prompt repeatedly, you’ve found a candidate for a command or skill.
The Command: A Named Shortcut
A command is a named trigger that loads a saved prompt or workflow. In Claude or Cowork, you might type “/summarize-session” and the system automatically expands that into a full set of instructions — without you typing them out each time. Commands save keystrokes and ensure consistency. You always use the same instructions, not a slightly different version you typed from memory this week.
Commands are more persistent than prompts, but simpler than skills. They’re best for short, frequently-used instructions that don’t require multi-step logic or complex outputs.
The Skill: A Complete Reusable Workflow
A skill is the most complete unit. It’s a structured document (SKILL.md) that defines a full workflow: what the skill does, what inputs it needs, the steps Claude follows, the format of the output, quality rules, and examples. Skills can be installed in Claude or Cowork, invoked by name, shared with others, updated and versioned, and chained together into larger pipelines. They’re the building blocks of a real AI system.
What This Means for Educators
Start with prompts to figure out what you need. Graduate to commands when you find yourself reusing prompts. Build skills when the task is complex enough to need defined steps and reliable, consistent output. These aren’t competing options — they’re a natural progression as your AI workflow matures.
The Simple Rule
Prompt = one-time. Command = saved shortcut. Skill = full workflow. Use the simplest tool that gets the job done. When the simple tool stops being reliable, move up to the next level.