drpedapati/sciclaw/explainer-site

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Create "How X Works" deep-dive explainer websites with the curious, technical-but-accessible style of howkeyboardswork.com. Use when asked to explain how something works, create an educational single-page guide, or build an interactive explainer site on any topic.

Install

npx vskill@latest install drpedapati/sciclaw/explainer-site

SKILL.md

Explainer Site Skill

Create deep-dive, single-page explainer websites in the style of howkeyboardswork.com — technically rigorous but accessible, personal yet authoritative, with progressive disclosure from overview to implementation details.

Key Insight: The magic is in three things: (1) personal voice that invites exploration, (2) pipeline thinking that shows the journey, and (3) beautiful Mermaid diagrams that explain visually what words struggle to convey.

When to Use This Skill

Trigger phrases:

  • "Create a 'How X Works' site"
  • "Build an explainer page for..."
  • "I want a deep-dive guide on..."
  • "Make a site like howkeyboardswork.com but for..."
  • "Educational single-page site about..."

The Formula

This pattern works for any technical topic: keyboards, databases, compilers, HTTP, neural networks, coffee machines, refrigerators, etc. The magic is in the combination of personal voice, progressive depth, and pipeline thinking.


Reference Examples

Study these implementations before building your own:

Inspiration
  • [howkeyboardswork.com](https://howkeyboardswork.com) — The gold standard. Personal voice, pipeline thinking, interactive toys, beautiful diagrams. Study the opening hook, the section rhythm, and how it balances accessibility with depth.
Working Demo
  • [how-memory-works](https://github.com/henrybloomingdale/how-memory-works) — A complete implementation of this skill pattern, explaining how AI memory systems work.
  • Stack: Nuxt 4 + TailwindCSS + beautiful-mermaid
  • Features: 4 interactive SVG toys (MemoryPipeline, ContextWindow, SearchSequence, HeartbeatState)
  • Design: Monochrome by default, substantial figure captions, prose-first
  • Clone it, run npm install && npm run dev, and explore the code

Use the demo as a starting point. Copy the project structure, component patterns, and diagram setup. Replace the content with your topic.


Voice & Tone Guidelines

The Opening Hook

Start with genuine personal curiosity. This establishes credibility through passion, not credentials.

Pattern:

I'm obsessed with [TOPIC] and the [ASPECT] we [USE/ENCOUNTER] every day without thinking twice about.
We [ACTION] [FREQUENCY], yet most of us have no idea what actually happens [BEHIND THE SCENES DESCRIPTION].
I wanted to figure out how all of that worked — [LIST KEY COMPONENTS] — and decided to document what I learned on this site.
It's been a way to deepen my own understanding and hopefully make it easier for others to appreciate the [QUALITY] behind something we all [USE/TAKE FOR GRANTED].
Let's go deep. [RELEVANT EMOJI]

Example for databases:

I'm obsessed with databases and the invisible infrastructure we rely on every day without thinking twice about.
We query data billions of times a day, yet most of us have no idea what actually happens between typing SELECT and seeing results.
I wanted to figure out how all of that worked — the parsing, the query planning, the storage engines, the whole stack — and decided to document what I learned on this site.
It's been a way to deepen my own understanding and hopefully make it easier for others to appreciate the quiet engineering behind something we all depend on.
Let's go deep. 🗄️
Tone Principles
  1. First-person, conversational — "I wanted to figure out", "Let's explore"
  2. Invitational, not lecturing — "Let's go deep" not "This guide will teach you"
  3. Technical precision with plain language — Define jargon on first use
  4. Genuine curiosity — Share your "aha" moments
  5. Progressive confidence — Start accessible, get technical
  6. Practical grounding — Connect abstractions to real-world effects
Sentence Style
  • Short sentences for impact
  • Longer sentences for explanation, then short for punch
  • Use em-dashes for asides (in this style, they work)
  • Parenthetical examples: "(e.g., Cherry MX Red)"
  • Questions to transition: "But how does the controller know which key?"

Content Structure

1. The Pipeline Overview

Every complex system is a pipeline — a chain of transformations from input to output. Start by showing the full journey, then zoom into each stage.

Pattern:

markdown
## The [TOPIC] Pipeline
From [INPUT] to [OUTPUT] — the journey of a [UNIT]
When you [ACTION], it feels instantaneous. But between [START STATE] and [END STATE],
an intricate chain of events unfolds in [TIMEFRAME].
This guide walks you through every step of that journey. We'll explore [COMPONENT 1],
[COMPONENT 2], [COMPONENT 3], and finally [COMPONENT N].
Understanding this pipeline helps you appreciate why [INSIGHT 1], why [INSIGHT 2],
and how [INSIGHT 3].
[OPTIONAL: Interactive visualization description]
The entire journey typically takes [TIME RANGE].
2. Section Template

Each section follows a consistent pattern:

markdown
## [Component Name]
[One-line evocative description]
[Opening paragraph: What is this component? Why does it exist? Hook the reader.]
## [Subsection: Core Concept]
[Detailed explanation of the main idea]
## [Subsection: Variations/Types]
[Different implementations or categories]
-**Type A**: [Description] (e.g., [Example])
-**Type B**: [Description] (e.g., [Example])
-**Type C**: [Description] (e.g., [Example])
## [Subsection: The Problem This Solves]
[What would go wrong without this? Real consequences.]
## [Subsection: Real-World Considerations]
[How does this play out in practice? Trade-offs, tuning, edge cases.]
[OPTIONAL: Callout box for important aside]
[OPTIONAL: Source attribution for images/data]
3. Section Ordering

Sections should follow the pipeline flow — the natural order of data/events through the system:

  1. Physical/Input Layer — Where the journey begins
  2. Conversion/Translation — How raw input becomes structured
  3. Processing/Logic — The core transformation
  4. Communication/Protocol — How information moves between components
  5. Output/Delivery — How results reach the end user
  6. Meta Concerns — Latency, measurement, optimization
4. Practical Commands Section (Optional)

For systems/tools that users can configure, add a "Configuring the System" section with:

  1. File structure — Show the workspace layout in a code block
  2. Commands table — Natural language triggers and what they do
  3. Configuration examples — Real config file snippets
  4. Quick reference table — Summary of files/commands for scanning
html
<div class="not-prose my-4">
<table class="w-full text-sm border border-slate-200 rounded">
<thead class="bg-slate-50">
<tr>
<th class="text-left p-3 border-b font-medium">Command</th>
<th class="text-left p-3 border-b font-medium">What it does</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="border-b border-slate-100">
<td class="p-3 font-mono text-xs">"Remember that..."</td>
<td class="p-3">Writes to daily notes</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>

This section shifts from "how it works" to "how to use it" while maintaining the same voice.

5. The Closing

End with satisfaction and a soft call-to-action (if relevant):

markdown
## And That's How [TOPIC] Work[s]!
From [START] through [MIDDLE COMPONENTS] to [END] — every [UNIT] is a small engineering marvel.
[OPTIONAL: Soft CTA to related product/project]
Now that you know the journey each [UNIT] takes, you might start wondering — [RELATED QUESTION]?
[Product/Tool Name] [DOES SOMETHING RELATED], turning [INVISIBLE THING] into [VISIBLE BENEFIT].
It's a [POSITIVE FRAMING] way to [BENEFIT].
[CTA Button Text]

Technical Implementation

Tech Stack

The reference implementation uses:

  • Nuxt 3 (Vue.js framework)
  • TailwindCSS with @tailwindcss/typography
  • @nuxt/content for markdown content
  • Static generation (Cloudflare Pages/Workers)
Project Structure
├── assets/css/ # Global styles (tailwind.css)
├── components/
│ ├── base/ # Reusable UI (Button, Card, etc.)
│ ├── content/ # Markdown components (Callout, etc.)
│ └── toys/ # Interactive demos/visualizations
├── content/guide/ # Markdown content files
│ ├── 00-intro.md
│ ├── 01-pipeline.md
│ ├── 02-component-a.md
│ ├── 03-component-b.md
│ └── ...
├── layouts/ # App layouts
├── pages/ # Route pages
│ └── index.vue # Single-page that renders all sections
├── public/ # Static assets (images, og-image.jpg)
├── nuxt.config.ts # Nuxt configuration
├── tailwind.config.ts # Tailwind configuration
└── package.json
Markdown Frontmatter

Each section is a markdown file with frontmatter:

yaml
---
title: Section Title
description: Brief evocative description (shown as subtitle)
order: 2
slug: section-slug
---

Sections are automatically sorted by order and rendered sequentially on the homepage.

Tailwind Typography Config

Use @tailwindcss/typography for beautiful prose styling:

typescript
// tailwind.config.ts
export default {
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
primary: {
500: '#0ea5e9', // Main accent
600: '#0284c7', // Links
700: '#0369a1', // Hover
}
},
typography: {
DEFAULT: {
css: {
maxWidth: 'none',
color: '#374151',
a: {
color: '#0284c7',
textDecoration: 'none',
'&:hover': { textDecoration: 'underline' }
},
code: {
backgroundColor: '#f3f4f6',
padding: '0.25rem 0.375rem',
borderRadius: '0.25rem',
fontWeight: '400'
}
}
}
}
}
},
plugins: [require('@tailwindcss/typography')]
}
Custom Components

Create reusable content components for markdown:

Callout Component (components/content/Callout.vue):

vue
<template>
<div :class="['callout', `callout-${type}`]">
<div class="callout-title">{{ title }}</div>
<div class="callout-content">
<slot />
</div>
</div>
</template>
<script setup>
defineProps({
title: String,
type: { type: String, default: 'info' } // info, warning, tip
})
</script>

Usage in markdown:

markdown
::Callout{title="Important Note" type="info"}
The actuation point is usually higher than the bottom-out point.
::

Header Design (The Frosted Glass Pattern)

The header should be minimal, functional, and elegant. Study howkeyboardswork.com's header — it's a masterclass in restraint.

The Complete Pattern
html
<header class="sticky top-0 z-50 bg-white/80 backdrop-blur-sm border-b border-gray-200">
<div class="max-w-6xl mx-auto px-4 py-4 flex items-center justify-between">
<!-- Logo + Title (left) -->
<a href="/" class="flex items-center gap-2 font-semibold text-lg text-gray-900 hover:text-sky-600 transition-colors">
<img src="/favicon.svg" alt="" class="w-auto h-8">
Site Title
</a>
<!-- Utility Link (right) -->
<a href="https://github.com/..."
target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"
class="text-sm text-gray-600 hover:text-gray-900 transition-colors">
View Source
</a>
</div>
</header>
Key Techniques
ElementClassesPurpose
Frosted glassbg-white/80 backdrop-blur-sm80% white + blur = content visible but unreadable
Sticky behaviorsticky top-0 z-50Stays on top during scroll
Subtle borderborder-b border-gray-200Definition without heaviness
Logo sizeh-8 (32px)Visible but not dominating
Logo gapgap-2 (8px)Breathing room between icon and text
Layoutflex items-center justify-betweenLogo left, utility right
Vue Component

This is the start of the file. Read the full SKILL.md on GitHub.

Security

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Source

Popularity

Repository stars
87
Repository forks
16
7-day trend score
22

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