diataxis:explanation
Use when the user asks for conceptual guides, architecture overviews, design rationale, trade-off discussions, background on how a subsystem works, historical context, or "why is it built this way?" documentation. Creates understanding-oriented content that builds mental models — the why, not the how. Do not use for direct task execution (use how-to) or factual lookup (use reference).
What this skill does
# Explanation writer ## Purpose Write understanding-oriented documentation that helps readers see the why, context, trade-offs, and larger picture. Explanation is not procedure and not reference. It is where reasoning belongs. ## When to use Use this skill when the user asks for: - conceptual guides - architecture overviews - design rationale - trade-off discussions - background on how a subsystem works - historical context - "why is it built this way?" Do not use this skill for direct task execution or factual lookup. ## What explanation should do - deepen understanding - connect ideas - provide context - discuss choices and alternatives - justify design decisions - help the reader build a coherent mental model ## Boundaries Explanation can include: - reasons - perspective - opinion with clear framing - alternatives and trade-offs - historical notes - comparisons and analogies Explanation must not drift into: - procedural walkthroughs - API field-by-field reference - setup instructions ## Structure Use a structure like: 1. Title framed around a topic 2. Why this matters 3. Core idea 4. Context and background 5. How the pieces relate 6. Trade-offs / alternatives 7. Common misconceptions 8. Practical implications 9. Further reading links to how-to or reference ## Writing rules - discuss the subject, not the steps - make connections across the system - include background and history where helpful - surface assumptions - compare alternatives fairly - keep the page bounded around one topic ## Good title patterns - About authentication in this library - Why the cache is write-through - Understanding the event pipeline - Design trade-offs in offline sync ## Inputs to gather - topic to illuminate - audience maturity - design decisions and constraints - plausible alternatives - known misconceptions - related how-to and reference pages ## Output contract Produce explanation that: - improves the reader's mental model - helps them understand why, not just what - stays focused on one bounded topic - links out to action-oriented or fact-oriented docs for execution details ## Anti-patterns to remove - numbered procedures - argument lists and schema dumps - generic motivational fluff - architecture without trade-offs - sprawling "everything about X" pages ## Final self-check Before returning, verify: - the page answers a why or about question - it connects ideas instead of listing steps - opinion is clearly presented as perspective, not disguised as fact - task execution details are linked, not embedded
Related in Design
contribute
IncludedLocal-only OSS contribution command center. Auto-refreshes the user's in-flight PR and issue state on invoke so conversations start with full context — no need to brief Claude on what's in flight. Helps the user find issues to contribute to on GitHub, builds per-repo dossiers of what each upstream expects (CLA, DCO, branch convention, AI policy, draft-first, review bots, issue templates), runs deterministic gates before any external action so AI-assisted contributions don't reach maintainers as slop. State is markdown-only: candidate files at ~/.contribute-system/candidates/, repo dossiers at ~/.contribute-system/research/, append-only event log at ~/.contribute-system/log.jsonl. No database, no cloud calls. Use when the user asks about their PRs / issues / contributions, wants to find new work to take on, claim an issue, build/refresh a repo's dossier, or draft a Design Issue or PR. Trigger with "/contribute", "what's my PR status", "find a contribution", "claim issue X", "draft a Design Issue for Y", "refresh dossier for Z".
architectural-analysis
IncludedUser-triggered deep architectural analysis of a codebase or scoped subtree across eight modes — information architecture, data flow, integration points, UI surfaces, interaction patterns, data model, control flow, and failure modes. This skill should be used when the user asks to "diagram this codebase," "map the architecture," "show the data flow," "give me an ERD," "trace control flow," "find the integration points," "verify the layout pattern," "audit the UX architecture," or any similar request whose primary deliverable is mermaid diagrams plus cited reports under docs/architecture/. Dispatches haiku/sonnet sub-agents in parallel for per-mode exploration, then verifies every citation mechanically before any node lands in a diagram. Not for one-off prose explanations of code (use code-explanation) or for high-level system design from scratch (use system-design).
mcp
IncludedModel Context Protocol (MCP) server development and tool management. Languages: Python, TypeScript. Capabilities: build MCP servers, integrate external APIs, discover/execute MCP tools, manage multi-server configs, design agent-centric tools. Actions: create, build, integrate, discover, execute, configure MCP servers/tools. Keywords: MCP, Model Context Protocol, MCP server, MCP tool, stdio transport, SSE transport, tool discovery, resource provider, prompt template, external API integration, Gemini CLI MCP, Claude MCP, agent tools, tool execution, server config. Use when: building MCP servers, integrating external APIs as MCP tools, discovering available MCP tools, executing MCP capabilities, configuring multi-server setups, designing tools for AI agents.
react-native-skia
IncludedDesign, build, debug, and optimise high-polish animated graphics in React Native or Expo using @shopify/react-native-skia, Reanimated, and Gesture Handler. Use when the user wants canvas-driven UI, shaders, paths, rich text, image filters, sprite fields, Skottie, video frames, snapshots, web CanvasKit setup, or performance tuning for custom motion-heavy elements such as loaders, hero art, cards, charts, progress indicators, particle systems, or gesture-driven surfaces. Also use when the user asks for fluid, glow, glass, blob, parallax, 60fps/120fps, or GPU-friendly animated effects in React Native, even if they do not explicitly say "Skia". Do not use for ordinary form/layout work with standard views.
plaid
IncludedProduct Led AI Development — guides founders from idea to launched product. Six capabilities: Idea (discover a product idea), Validate (pressure-test the idea against fatal flaws, problem reality, competition, and 2-week MVP feasibility), Plan (vision intake + document generation), Design (translate image references into a design.md spec), Launch (go-to-market strategy), and Build (roadmap execution). Use when someone says "PLAID", "plaid idea", "help me find an idea", "product idea", "idea from my business", "idea from my expertise", "plaid validate", "validate my idea", "pressure-test", "is this idea good", "find fatal flaws", "validate the problem", "plan a product", "define my vision", "generate a PRD", "product strategy", "plaid design", "design from image", "translate image to design", "create design.md", "extract design tokens", "plaid launch", "go-to-market", "launch plan", "GTM strategy", "launch playbook", "plaid build", "build the app", "start building", or "execute the roadmap".
nextjs-framer-motion-animations
IncludedAdds production-safe Motion for React or Framer Motion animations to Next.js apps, including reveal, hover and tap micro-interactions, whileInView, stagger, AnimatePresence, layout and layoutId transitions, reorder, scroll-linked UI, and lightweight route-content transitions. Use when the user asks to add, refactor, or debug Motion or Framer Motion in App Router or Pages Router codebases, especially around server/client boundaries, reduced motion, LazyMotion, bundle size, hydration, or route transitions. Avoid for GSAP-style timelines, WebGL or 3D scenes, heavy scroll storytelling, or CSS-only effects unless Motion is explicitly requested.