What are Hooks in Claude Code?

Hooks automate lifecycle events like pre-prompt or post-response—always-on, no exceptions.

MCP vs Skills: which for tool integration?

MCP for raw external connections (open protocol). Skills for wrapping them into workflows.

When to use Hooks over everything else?

For mandatory, universal actions—logging, validation—that can't fail.

Claude Code's Three Layers: Hooks, MCP, Skills Dissected

Claude Code hides a smart three-layer extension system. Hooks enforce basics; MCP plugs tools; Skills craft workflows—pick wrong, and you're debugging chaos.

DevTools Feed Apr 04, 2026 3 min read

Layered diagram of Hooks, MCP, and Skills in Claude Code architecture

⚡ Key Takeaways

Hooks enforce basics; ignore them at your peril. 𝕏
MCP bridges tools via protocol—key for extensibility. 𝕏
Skills build reusable workflows, but start simple. 𝕏

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