how

Files (3)

• SKILL.md
• explainer-prompt.md · references/
• explorer-prompt.md · references/

SKILL.md (first lines)

# How

Explore the codebase to answer "how does X work?" questions. Produce architectural explanations at the level of a senior engineer onboarding onto a subsystem, enough to build a working mental model, not so much that it reads like annotated source code.

## Step 1. Assess Complexity

If the scope is ambiguous, state your interpretation and explore. The user can redirect.

- **Simple** (a single module, a small utility, a narrow question such as "how does function X work"): no explorers. Explore and explain in a single pass yourself. Go to Step 2a.
- **Complex** (a subsystem spanning multiple services, a cross-cutting feature, a full architectural overview): spawn parallel explorers first, then synthesize their findings. Go to Step 2b.

When in doubt, take the simple path.

## Step 2a. Direct Explain (simple questions)

Explore it inline by yourself. Follow the Exploration Instructions in `references/explorer-prompt.md`. Skip its Output section, and write the explanation directly in the Output Format below. Go to Step 4.

## Step 2b. Explore (complex questions only)

Decompose the question into 2 to 4 exploration angles, each a distinct slice of the subsystem. Spawn all explorer subagents in a single message.

Each explorer gets the prompt in `references/explorer-prompt.md` with its angle filled in. Then go to Step 3.

## Step 3. Synthesize (complex questions only)

Once all explorers have returned, synthesize their findings into one explanation yourself. Follow the Instructions and Communication Style in `references/explainer-prompt.md`.

## Step 4. Present

Present the output to the user.

## Output Format

The explanation uses the sections defined in `references/explainer-prompt.md`, dropping any that do not apply: Overview, Key Concepts, How It Works, Where Things Live, Gotchas.

From marcinkonwiak/simple-pstack, MIT.

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