| name | explain-code |
| description | Explain a function, module, or codepath in layered detail (one-liner → architecture → implementation). Tailored to the user's stated background per ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md. |
| when_to_use | User asks "explain this", "what does X do", "how does Y work", "walk me through Z". Especially valuable when the user is new to a codebase or a stack they don't fully know. |
/explain-code
Layered, audience-aware explanation of a code symbol or path. Reads ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md for the user's background and adjusts depth.
When to invoke
- "Explain this function."
- "How does X work?"
- "Walk me through the auth flow."
- "What does this regex / SQL / cron actually do?"
Inputs
- The target: a file, function name, module, or selected lines.
- Optional depth flag:
quick | standard | deep.
Outputs
A three-layer explanation:
- One-liner. What it is, in one sentence.
- Why it exists. The problem it solves and where it sits in the architecture.
- How it works. Implementation walkthrough with citations:
path/to/file.ext:line.
If deep: add a "Gotchas" section with edge cases, performance notes, or known bugs.
Steps
- Locate the target. If ambiguous (multiple symbols share the name), list candidates and ask.
- Read the file containing the target plus its direct callers and direct callees.
- Read
~/.claude/CLAUDE.md for stated background; tailor jargon density.
- Produce the three-layer output. Keep total under 400 words for
standard, under 800 for deep.
- End with a "Want me to dig further into X?" suggestion if the deep dive surfaced anything notable.
Notes
- Explain WHAT and WHY before HOW. Don't dump the function body verbatim.
- Cite specific lines so the user can navigate. Avoid vague "in some file somewhere".
- If the code is doing something genuinely surprising, say so — don't normalize bad patterns.
