Stop Prompt Engineering, Start Context Engineering

Short summary

A practical guide arguing that building effective AI agents requires front-loading context—persistent files like agents.md and memory.md, MCP tool connections, and reusable skills—rather than crafting clever prompts. The agent loop (observe, think, act) stays the same across platforms; what differs is the quality of context, memory, and tool access you provide upfront. Includes a step-by-step setup checklist for solo creators and teams.

• •Agent = LLM + loop + tools + context; the harness (Claude Code, Codex) just runs the loop
• •Context engineering replaces prompt engineering: front-load role, business, tools, and preferences in persistent files
• •MCP connects agents to external tools without custom integrations; skills package repeatable processes for scheduling

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.