Week 8 Reflection: Power Needs Boundaries

Purpose

This reflection helps you decide when to connect OpenCode to external tools and when a simpler extension point is enough.

Answer with examples from your own Week 8 labs when possible.

Part 1: Explain The Difference

In your own words:

1. What is an MCP server?
2. What is an OpenCode plugin?
3. What is the difference between a tool and a resource?
4. Why might an MCP server be useful in a multi-agent workflow?
5. Why might an MCP server be risky?

Part 2: Decision Practice

For each need, choose the best extension point: command, skill, agent, MCP server, or plugin.

1. You repeat the same prompt every Friday to write release notes.
2. You want an agent to know your team's API style guide.
3. You want a read-only security reviewer with restricted permissions.
4. You want OpenCode to read GitHub PR details.
5. You want OpenCode to log every session to a team dashboard.
6. You want the agent to query a local development database.
7. You want a shortcut that scaffolds a React component.

For each answer, write one sentence explaining why.

Part 3: Safety Review

Pick one MCP server you wired in Lab 8.1.

Answer:

1. What can it read?
2. What can it write or mutate?
3. What credentials does it need, if any?
4. What did you do to scope access?
5. What is one prompt you would refuse to run with this server enabled?
6. Would you enable this server in a shared team config? Why or why not?

Part 4: Custom Server Review

Review the tiny MCP server you built in Lab 8.2.

Answer:

1. What tool did you expose?
2. What resource did you expose?
3. Could the same result have been achieved with a skill?
4. Could the same result have been achieved with a command?
5. What would need to change before this server was useful in real work?

Part 5: Personal Policy

Write your own MCP safety policy.

Complete these sentences:

I will use MCP when...

I will avoid MCP when...

Before enabling a new MCP server, I will check...

I will never give a beginner agent access to...

For shared team configs, MCP servers should...

Submission Checklist

Before submitting, confirm your reflection includes:

• A clear MCP vs plugin distinction
• At least three decision-practice explanations
• A safety review of one real server
• A review of your custom server
• A personal policy for future MCP use