explain

My Knowledge Base — Explain

Explain any concept — new or existing — by using the user's Knowledge Base as context. The KB tells you what the user already knows, so you can build on that foundation.

KB Location

~/.claude/my-knowledge-base/

Core Principle

The KB is NOT a dictionary to look up topics. The KB is a profile of the user's mind — use it to understand their starting point, then explain anything (including brand new topics) from there.

Steps

1. Identify What to Explain

• If argument is provided → explain that topic
• If no argument → explain the most recent concept discussed in this conversation

2. Read the FULL KB

From ~/.claude/my-knowledge-base/:

1. Read index.md (category listing)
2. Read ALL category files — not just the one matching the topic
3. Build a picture of the user's overall knowledge landscape

You need the full picture because:

• A user asking about "Channels" might already know MCP, hooks, and plugins (✅) → Explain channels by contrasting with those known concepts
• Or they might be new to Claude Code entirely (mostly ❌) → Start from fundamentals

3. Analyze the User's Knowledge State

From the KB, identify:

• ✅ Know: Concepts to use as anchors and analogies
• ❓ Uncertain: Related areas to clarify along the way
• ❌ Don't know: Foundations that may need brief explanation first

Also check timeline logs for patterns:

• Topics that regressed (✅→❓) → User tends to forget these — reinforce differently
• Topics that stayed ❌ for a long time → May need a different approach

4. Generate Tailored Explanation

Strategy:

1. Anchor to known concepts: "Since you understand hooks (✅), channels are similar in that..."
2. Bridge from uncertain areas: "You mentioned sub-agent lifecycle is uncertain — channels actually relate to this because..."
3. Don't assume unknown foundations: If the user doesn't know MCP (❌) and channels depend on MCP, briefly cover MCP first
4. Skip what they know: Don't re-explain plugin structure if it's ✅

5. For Claude Code topics specifically

If the topic is about Claude Code, delegate the factual research to the claude-code-guide agent. Then apply the KB context to tailor the explanation.

Flow:

1. Read KB → understand user's knowledge state
2. Agent(claude-code-guide) → get accurate factual content
3. Combine: reshape the factual content using KB anchors

6. After Explaining

• Ask if it made sense
• Ask if there are follow-up questions

Rules

• This skill is read-only. NEVER modify the KB. NEVER run assessments or quizzes.
• Assessments, quizzes, and KB writes belong EXCLUSIVELY to the update skill. Do NOT do them here.
• If the user asks for assessment while in this skill, tell them to run /my-knowledge-base:update instead.
• The topic being explained does NOT need to exist in the KB. The KB provides context, not content.
• Do NOT parrot back what the user already knows. Use it as scaffolding, not as output.
• For Claude Code questions, always use claude-code-guide agent for factual accuracy.