jbl306/claude/explain-code

Explain Code Skill

When this skill is triggered, Claude will break down any piece of code into plain, everyday language that anyone can understand — no programming background required.

When to Use

• A teammate shares code and you want to understand what it does
• You're reviewing a pull request and need a plain-English summary
• You inherited a codebase and need to get up to speed quickly
• You're a manager or designer who needs to understand technical changes

Steps

1. Identify the code the user is asking about
2. Read the relevant file(s) completely
3. Break down the code into logical sections
4. Explain each section in plain, non-technical language

Output Format

Structure every explanation like this:

🎯 What This Code Does (1–2 sentences)

[High-level summary anyone can understand. Compare it to a real-world process if possible.]

📝 Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. [First thing the code does — in plain language]
2. [Second thing the code does]
3. [Third thing...]

...

🔗 How It Connects

[How this code relates to the rest of the project. What calls it? What does it call? Think of it like explaining a department's role in a company.]

⚠️ Things to Watch Out For

[Any potential issues, edge cases, or important notes a non-developer should know about. For example: "If the database is down, this code will wait 30 seconds and try again — so users might see a brief delay."]

Rules

• Use analogies from everyday life (filing cabinets, assembly lines, mailrooms)
• Avoid jargon — if you must use a technical term, define it in parentheses
• Keep explanations under 500 words
• If the code is complex, offer to explain specific parts in more detail
• Never assume the reader knows what a "function," "variable," or "loop" is —

explain or rephrase naturally

Example

Given this code:

def calculate_shipping(weight, destination):
    base_rate = 5.99
    if weight > 50:
        surcharge = (weight - 50) * 0.25
    else:
        surcharge = 0
    if destination == "international":
        multiplier = 2.5
    else:
        multiplier = 1.0
    return (base_rate + surcharge) * multiplier

The skill would produce:

### 🎯 What This Code Does

This calculates how much it costs to ship a package, based on its weight and

where it's going.

### 📝 Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Starts with a base price of $5.99 for every shipment

2. Checks the package weight — if it's over 50 lbs, it adds an extra

25 cents for every pound above 50

3. Checks the destination — if it's going to another country, the total

cost is multiplied by 2.5× (international shipping costs more)

4. Calculates the final price by adding the base rate and any weight

surcharge, then applying the international multiplier if needed

### 🔗 How It Connects

This is probably called during checkout — after a customer enters their

address and the cart knows the total weight of their order.

### ⚠️ Things to Watch Out For

- There's no maximum weight limit — a 10,000 lb order would process without

any warning

- The only destination check is "international" — there's no difference

between, say, Canada and Australia