Microsoft Agent Framework adds MCP skills discovery for .NET
Microsoft Expands Agent Skills to MCP Servers
Microsoft has added Model Context Protocol (MCP) server integration to its Agent Framework for .NET, allowing agents to discover and load skills dynamically from external MCP servers at runtime. The capability rolls out through the `Microsoft.Agents.AI.Mcp` NuGet package, which developers can integrate using the `UseMcpSkills` extension method on `AgentSkillsProviderBuilder` Microsoft Learn.
The addition extends the framework's skill-discovery model beyond hardcoded or locally packaged skills. When an agent connects to an MCP server, the server advertises available skills through a `skill://index.json` endpoint, and the .NET framework retrieves skill content over an authenticated MCP connection Microsoft Developer Blog.
How Skills Are Packaged and Delivered
Microsoft's implementation supports two packaging formats for MCP-exposed skills: Markdown-based definitions (skill-md or SKILL.md files paired with sibling resources) and packaged archives including ZIP, TAR, and gzip-compressed TAR formats Microsoft Developer Blog. This flexibility allows skill authors to bundle dependencies and multi-file resources alongside skill definitions.
The architecture separates skill advertisement from skill retrieval, meaning agents can query what an MCP server offers without downloading everything upfront. Developers configure MCP skills sources by calling `UseMcpSkills` on the builder, making the feature a native part of the agent-framework configuration pipeline Microsoft Learn.
Developer Adoption Path
The feature targets .NET developers building agentic applications who want agents to access external skill repositories without redeployment. By routing skill discovery through MCP—a protocol already gaining traction for agent-AI integration—Microsoft reduces friction for teams managing multiple agents or centralizing skill governance.
The `Microsoft.Agents.AI.Mcp` package is now available on NuGet, making it immediately usable for teams running .NET 8.0 or later. Integration requires minimal code: developers add the NuGet reference, then invoke `UseMcpSkills` with MCP server credentials and connection details.
Why This Matters for the Agent Economy
MCP-based skill discovery shifts agent architecture from static bundling toward runtime-composed capabilities. Agents can adapt their skill set based on available MCP servers, enabling scenarios like multi-tenant agent platforms where different customers expose different skill catalogs, or teams that rotate skill implementations without restarting agents.
This move aligns Agent Framework with the broader ecosystem standardization around MCP, reducing lock-in and letting skill creators target multiple agent platforms via a single protocol implementation.