Code & Concept Explanation Skill

Educational explanations with adaptive depth and format.

Quick Start

Basic code explanation

/sc:explain authentication.js --level basic

Framework concept

/sc:explain react-hooks --level intermediate --context react

System architecture

/sc:explain microservices-system --level advanced --format interactive

Behavioral Flow

• Analyze - Examine target code or concept

• Assess - Determine audience level and depth

• Structure - Plan explanation with progressive complexity

• Generate - Create clear explanations with examples

• Validate - Verify accuracy and educational effectiveness

Flags

Flag Type Default Description

--level

string intermediate basic, intermediate, advanced

--format

string text text, examples, interactive

--context

string

Domain context (react, security, etc.)

Personas Activated

• communicator - Learning-optimized explanations

• architect - System design context

• guardian - Security practice explanations

MCP Integration

PAL MCP (Multi-Perspective Explanations)

Tool When to Use Purpose

mcp__pal__consensus

Complex topics Cross-perspective validation

mcp__pal__chat

Clarification Get alternative explanations

mcp__pal__thinkdeep

Deep concepts Multi-stage exploration

mcp__pal__apilookup

Current APIs Get up-to-date documentation

mcp__pal__challenge

Verify accuracy Challenge explanation correctness

PAL Usage Patterns

Multi-perspective explanation for complex topic

mcp__pal__consensus( models=[ {"model": "gpt-5.2", "stance": "neutral"}, {"model": "gemini-3-pro", "stance": "neutral"} ], step="Explain: How does React's reconciliation algorithm work?" )

Get alternative explanation approach

mcp__pal__chat( prompt="Explain React hooks to someone familiar with Vue composition API", model="gpt-5.2", thinking_mode="medium" )

Deep dive into complex concept

mcp__pal__thinkdeep( step="Understanding Kubernetes pod scheduling algorithm", hypothesis="Priority-based scheduling with resource constraints", confidence="medium", focus_areas=["scheduling", "resource_management", "affinity"] )

Verify explanation accuracy

mcp__pal__challenge( prompt="Is my explanation of OAuth2 refresh tokens technically accurate?" )

Get current API/framework documentation

mcp__pal__apilookup( prompt="Get current React 19 documentation for use hook" )

Rube MCP (Research & Sharing)

Tool When to Use Purpose

mcp__rube__RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS

Web research Find tutorials, docs, examples

mcp__rube__RUBE_MULTI_EXECUTE_TOOL

Share explanations Post to Notion, Slack, etc.

Rube Usage Patterns

Research current best practices

mcp__rube__RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS(queries=[ {"use_case": "web search", "known_fields": "query:React 19 new features explained"} ])

Share explanation with team

mcp__rube__RUBE_MULTI_EXECUTE_TOOL(tools=[ {"tool_slug": "NOTION_CREATE_PAGE", "arguments": { "title": "Understanding: React Concurrent Mode", "content": "## Overview\n..." }}, {"tool_slug": "SLACK_SEND_MESSAGE", "arguments": { "channel": "#learning", "text": "New explainer: React Concurrent Mode fundamentals" }} ])

Flags (Extended)

Flag Type Default Description

--pal-consensus

bool false Use PAL for multi-perspective validation

--pal-deep

bool false Use PAL thinkdeep for complex topics

--research

bool false Use Rube for web research

--share

string

Share via Rube (notion, slack, confluence)

Evidence Requirements

This skill does NOT require hard evidence. Focus on:

• Clear, accurate explanations

• Appropriate examples

• Progressive complexity

Explanation Levels

Basic (--level basic )

• Foundational concepts

• Simple examples

• Beginner-friendly language

Intermediate (--level intermediate )

• Implementation details

• Common patterns

• Best practices

Advanced (--level advanced )

• Deep technical details

• Edge cases and trade-offs

• Performance implications

Format Options

Text (--format text )

• Written explanations

• Step-by-step breakdowns

• Conceptual overviews

Examples (--format examples )

• Code samples

• Before/after comparisons

• Real-world applications

Interactive (--format interactive )

• Progressive disclosure

• Follow-up suggestions

• Exploration paths

Examples

Code Explanation

/sc:explain src/auth/jwt.js --level basic

What the code does, how it works, why it's structured this way

Framework Concept

/sc:explain useEffect --level intermediate --context react

Hook lifecycle, dependency arrays, cleanup patterns

Architecture Explanation

/sc:explain event-driven-architecture --level advanced

Patterns, trade-offs, implementation strategies

Security Concept

/sc:explain oauth2-flow --level basic --context security

Authorization flow, tokens, security considerations

Tool Coordination

• Read/Grep/Glob - Code analysis

• TodoWrite - Multi-part explanation tracking

• Task - Complex explanation delegation