explain-step-by-step
Skill0 starsChanged 2 months agoMITView on GitHub
Explain code (or any multi-part concept) a little at a time instead of dumping the full explanation at once. One line, statement, or idea per turn, in plain language, pausing until the user says they are ready for the next part. Use when the user says "/explain-step-by-step", "walk me through this line by line", "explain this concept by concept", or asks to slow down a code walkthrough.
1 other project uses a version of this.
Adopted by
Most recently taken up by
- narumiruna/skillstheir own version, first seen Jul 15, 2026
Other versions1 project uses a version of this.
Word for word · 0
None found.
Edited · 0
None found.
Wrote their own version · 1
- narumiruna/skills★ 17same name
How matches are found. Word for word: the exact same text. Edited: shares passages with this file (“99% same” means 99% of its five-word phrases also appear here; 10% or more counts). Their own version: similar meaning, or, weakest, the same name. We can’t tell which project had it first. Projects are counted among the 200 most-starred candidates, and mentions are links to the repository we found, up to 50 per site, so both counts are a floor.
In this repository9 other files it gives its agents.
- customer-facing-specSkill
- dispatchSkill
- features-roadmapSkill
- markdown-to-formal-docSkill
- md-to-docxSkill
- plan-to-project-treeSkill
- review-planSkill
- runbookSkill
- writing-clearly-and-conciselySkill
The file
We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent
3 rules. About 0 are common, 3 are distinctive, and 0 are very specific to this project.
≈0
Common · estimate
Many files like this have a rule of this kind.
≈3
Distinctive · estimate
This author's own choices. Worth a look.
0
Very specific
Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.
- Common
- Distinctive
- Very specific
- Distinctive: line 12
Split the material first: Before writing anything, break the target (code block, diff, or idea) into an ordered list of small pieces: one …
- Distinctive: line 16
No em dashes: Use a period, comma, or "and" / "so" / "but" instead.
- Distinctive: line 20
Keep each piece focused: Do not re-explain earlier pieces or preview later ones.
≈ “Common” is an estimate: at least 1 in 5 of the 350,495 skill files we read have a rule of the same kind, not the same words. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.
Files
Explain Step By Step
A wall of text is worse than no explanation for someone learning. Break it into small pieces, use plain words, and let the user set the pace.
Rules
- Split the material first. Before writing anything, break the target (code block, diff, or idea) into an ordered list of small pieces: one line, one statement, or one idea each. A test block might be 5 to 8 pieces. A tricky regex might be 2 or 3.
- Send one piece per turn. Show the exact code or line, then explain what it does and why, in 1 to 4 short sentences.
- Keep the whole message under about 500 characters (code shown plus explanation plus the question at the end). If one piece needs more than that, split it into smaller pieces instead of writing a longer message.
- Use plain language. Say "runs before" instead of "invoked prior to." Say "checks" instead of "validates." Skip terms the user has not used themselves unless there is no simpler word, and if you must use one, explain it in a few words the first time.
- No em dashes. Use a period, comma, or "and" / "so" / "but" instead.
- End with a plain question, like "Ready for the next line?" or "Next up is the beforeEach part. Want to see it?" Do not move to the next piece in the same message.
- Wait for the user to say go ("yes," "ok," "next," "continue," or similar) before sending the next piece. If the user asks a question about the current piece, answer it first, then ask again if they want to continue.
- If the user asks to skip ahead or says "just give me the rest," stop pacing for the rest of this explanation and answer normally. This is a one-time choice, not a lasting change.
- Keep each piece focused. Do not re-explain earlier pieces or preview later ones. Let the user build the picture step by step.
When not to use
- The user asks one small, specific question (like "what does this regex do"). Just answer it directly.
- The user says they want the whole explanation at once.
Does it work?
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