Skip to content
cccskills
FreePublished on GitHub

wtf

Explain a confusing message, file, link, or passage in everyday language. It highlights the main point, what it means for the reader, and any decisions or actions needed, while preserving caveats and uncertainty.

OriginalShow the original description

Explain the last message, or a supplied file, link, or passage, in plain language a person follows on the first read. Use when the user invokes wtf because they did not follow something. Use ce-explain to investigate how or why code works, and ce-noslop to rewrite prose.

See how to install

Good for

  • Clarifying the agent's previous response
  • Understanding a difficult file or linked document
  • Explaining one confusing step in a conversation
  • Identifying decisions and actions a passage requires

Files included (2)

  • SKILL.md2.1 KB
  • agents/openai.yaml43 B

SKILL.md (original)

Review the instructions the agent will receive before you install.

wtf

The user did not follow something. Explain it the way you would to a smart colleague who was not in the room.

Done: the user can say what the source means and what, if anything, they need to decide or do, without going back to the source.

What to explain

The text the user passed with the invocation decides the target:

  • Nothing passed: your most recent message.
  • A file path or a link: read it, then explain it.
  • A pasted passage: that passage.
  • A short pointer such as "the migration part" or "step 3": only that part of the conversation.

If the target is still unclear, ask one short question instead of guessing.

How to explain

  • Open with the point in one or two sentences: what this says and why the user should care. Write no preamble and no apology for the earlier wording.
  • Then say what it means for them: what happened, what state things are in, and anything they need to decide or do.
  • Explain the source; do not rewrite it. The explanation is shorter than the source because it leaves out whatever the user does not need in order to understand it or act on it. Do not walk a document section by section.
  • Use everyday words. When a technical term matters, keep it and say what it means once, in passing. Keep the exact file names, commands, and values the user will need to use.
  • Keep everything that changes what the user would do: failures, caveats, open questions, and requests. The explanation must not sound more positive or more certain than the source.
  • Add no claims the source does not make. If the source is vague or contradicts itself, say so. If re-reading your own message shows it was wrong, say that and correct it.
  • Plain does not mean childish. Do not force analogies, cheerlead, or talk down.

Reviews

No reviews yet. Tell others what you thought.

Comments

No login needed. Share how it worked for you, ask a question, or note where it did not run.

No comments yet. Be the first to write one.

Comments are published right away. Do not include personal information such as email addresses or phone numbers. Up to 2 URLs.

0 / 1,000 characters

This form is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

More skills from this repository

ce-babysit-pr

FreeSummary

Monitor an open GitHub pull request over time, respond to review feedback, and address automated check failures. Apply and push fixes, then report whether it appears ready to merge or what still blocks progress.

  • Monitoring a pull request until it appears ready to merge
  • Addressing review feedback as it arrives
  • Handling automated check failures during review
EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin25.6KUpdated Oct 19, 2026

ce-bakeoff

FreeSummary

Develop independent solutions to a defined problem, compare them against shared requirements, and combine useful contributions into a coherent recommendation. An independent assessment and evidence checks support the selection, while unresolved tradeoffs and verification needs remain explicit.

  • Comparing concrete solutions to a defined problem
  • Developing rough options before choosing an approach
  • Comparing architectural or product proposals
EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin25.6KUpdated Oct 19, 2026

ce-brainstorm

FreeSummary

Turn a vague feature idea into clear requirements through dialogue. Define what to build, its scope, and success criteria, then capture the result in a short chat summary or a requirements document ready for implementation planning.

  • Clarifying a vague feature idea
  • Narrowing the scope of an ambitious improvement
  • Documenting requirements before implementation planning
EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin25.6KUpdated Oct 19, 2026

ce-code-review

FreeSummary

Review code changes or a pull request for bugs, effects on existing behavior, test gaps, and project standards. Receive findings supported by the code and a clear account of review coverage, with local fixes available when explicitly requested.

  • Reviewing a pull request before release
  • Checking changes for bugs and test gaps
  • Applying review findings locally
EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin25.6KUpdated Oct 19, 2026

ce-commit

FreeSummary

Save working changes as local Git commits with messages that explain the outcome. Follow the project's commit style, select files explicitly, and split clearly separate changes into a few logical commits when appropriate.

  • Saving completed work as a local commit
  • Writing messages that explain the outcome
  • Separating unrelated changes into commits
EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin25.6KUpdated Oct 19, 2026

Commit and push code changes, then open a pull request with a clear title and description. You can also draft or update PR descriptions and hand published requests to the follow-up monitoring workflow.

  • Committing changes and opening a pull request
  • Drafting only a PR title and description
  • Updating an existing PR description
EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin25.6KUpdated Oct 19, 2026

See all skills by EveryInc

Report a problem with this skill