Explains code or code changes in plain language, briefly by default or in full for a reviewer. Use when asked to explain, ELIE, summarize, or break down a PR, diff, branch, file, function, or concept for someone new to the code. Not for how a whole subsystem works; use explaining-architecture.
Install
npx skills add bostonaholic/skills --skill explaining-codenpx skills add bostonaholic/skills --skill explaining-code -a claude-code -gnpx skills add bostonaholic/skills --skill explaining-code -a codex -ggemini skills install https://github.com/bostonaholic/skills.git --path skills/engineering/explaining-codegh skill install bostonaholic/skills explaining-codegit clone --depth 1 https://github.com/bostonaholic/skills /tmp/bostonaholic__skills
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills ~/.agents/skills
cp -R /tmp/bostonaholic__skills/skills/engineering/explaining-code ~/.claude/skills/explaining-code # Claude Code
cp -R /tmp/bostonaholic__skills/skills/engineering/explaining-code ~/.agents/skills/explaining-code # Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Copilot, OpenCode