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understand-explain — Deep-Dive Code Component Explainer

Explains a specific file, function, or module in depth by combining a pre-built knowledge graph with the actual source code.

Dev & CodingIntermediate★ 91,543⑂ 7,812AI score 9/10Last updated: Nov 7, 2026

What it does

  • Greps the target node inside .ua/knowledge-graph.json (or the legacy .understand-anything/) and reads only what's needed, instead of dumping the whole graph into context.
  • Follows edges (imports / calls / depends_on / contains) to map outgoing dependencies and incoming callers.
  • Locates the architectural layer the component belongs to and explains why it exists there.
  • Reads the real source file to describe internal structure, data flow (inputs → processing → outputs), and notable patterns or complexity.
  • Before explaining, compares the graph's gitCommitHash with HEAD, staged and untracked changes to warn you when the graph is stale, suggesting a /understand refresh.

Who it's for

  • Developers onboarding onto an unfamiliar codebase
  • Anyone checking blast radius (callers, dependencies) before a refactor
  • Engineers who must read modules written in a language they don't know well
  • Users who already generated a graph with Understand-Anything's /understand

Examples

  1. /understand-explain src/auth/login.ts → role in the auth layer, its imports, and the routers that call it.
  2. /understand-explain src/auth/login.ts:verifyToken → function-level walkthrough of the call chain and token verification flow.
  3. /understand-explain src/pipeline/etl.py → pipeline steps plus linked config and table nodes describing the data flow.

· · · Install guide · · ·

Try it now, no install

Paste this into Claude to use the skill without installing anything.

Read the instructions in this file and follow them to help me:
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/HEAD/understand-anything-plugin/skills/understand-explain/SKILL.md

What I want: (describe your task here)

If Claude can't open the link, open it yourself and paste the contents instead.

↓ If it works for you, download the ZIP below and install it. Then it runs on its own — no pasting each time.

Install in the Claude app (no terminal)
  1. Download the ZIP with the button below.
  2. In Claude, open Settings → Capabilities and turn on 'Code execution and file creation'. (one time)
  3. Go to Customize → Skills → + → 'Upload a skill' and upload the ZIP.
↓ Download ZIP
Install in Claude Code

Let Claude do it — paste this into Claude Code

Install the skill I found on AI Skill Mart.
Copy the understand-anything-plugin/skills/understand-explain folder from the GitHub repo Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything into my ~/.claude/skills/understand-explain/.
When it's done, tell me in one line what this skill can do.

Install with a command instead

git clone https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything.git && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r Understand-Anything/understand-anything-plugin/skills/* ~/.claude/skills/

⚠ This is a third-party skill. Check the source repository before installing.

  1. Clone the repo: git clone https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything.git
  2. Create the skills folder: mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills
  3. Copy the skills in: cp -r Understand-Anything/understand-anything-plugin/skills/* ~/.claude/skills/
  4. Open a terminal in the project you want to analyze and start Claude Code.
  5. Run /understand first to generate .ua/knowledge-graph.json — this skill requires it.
  6. Then call /understand-explain src/path/file.ts to get the deep-dive explanation.
  7. If you get a stale-graph warning after significant code changes, re-run /understand.
View source on GitHub ↗License: MIT