Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Code Component Deep-Dive agent skill (understand-explain)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The understand-explain skill is an agent skill from the Understand-Anything project that gives your AI coding agent a structured way to explain one specific file, function or module in a codebase. It is meant for developers getting oriented in unfamiliar code, students who need a walkthrough, and engineers checking how a module fits the wider architecture. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to trigger it with a normal request, and what it needs to work.
Code Component Deep-DiveEgonex-AI/Understand-Anything · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Check requirements. Confirm you have a knowledge graph generated by /understand and, ideally, Git available in the project.
- 2Install the skill. Unzip the downloaded ZIP into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or .claude/skills/ inside a project, or upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
- 3Build the graph. Run /understand in your project so the knowledge graph exists in .ua/ or .understand-anything/.
- 4Ask for an explanation. Name a file, function or module in a plain request, such as explaining src/auth/login.ts.
- 5Check the freshness warning. If the agent warns that project files changed since the graph was built, run /understand again before relying on the explanation.
- 6Read the walkthrough. Use the role, structure, connections and data flow sections to orient yourself, then open the source file to follow along.
What is an agent skill, and what does this one do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file that gives an AI agent instructions for a particular task. The agent loads the skill when your request matches its description. This skill's description is: use it when you need a deep-dive explanation of a specific file, function, or module in the codebase.
Once installed, when you ask the agent to explain a particular file, function, or module, it looks up that piece in a previously generated map of your project. That map is a knowledge graph built by the companion /understand command. The agent then checks how the piece connects to other parts, reads the actual source code, and gives a plain-language explanation of its role, structure and data flow. It also warns you if the map may be out of date compared with recent code changes.
What you need before installing
The skill depends on a knowledge graph generated by the companion /understand skill. The graph is stored in a .ua/ or .understand-anything/ folder in your project. If that graph does not exist, the skill stops and asks you to run /understand first.
Git is needed for the freshness check. If Git metadata is unavailable, the skill continues but gives you a warning.
- A knowledge graph generated by /understand, stored in .ua/ or .understand-anything/
- Git, for the freshness check (optional; the skill warns and continues without it)
Install the understand-explain skill
Download the ZIP from our page and unzip it. The skill ships as a single file, SKILL.md. You can install it in one of two ways.
Option 1, personal skills: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/ so the skill is available in all your projects. Option 2, project skills: unzip into the .claude/skills/ folder of a specific project so it applies only there.
Option 3, Claude apps: upload the skill in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project: .claude/skills/ inside your project
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Generate the graph with /understand first
Before you ask for an explanation, run the companion /understand command in your project. It builds the knowledge graph the skill reads from. The skill looks for knowledge-graph.json inside the data folder. If it finds the legacy .understand-anything/ folder it uses that, otherwise it uses .ua/.
When the code changes, the skill compares the graph's recorded commit with your current Git state. If project files have changed, it warns that the explanation may leave those changes out and suggests running /understand to refresh the graph.
Trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need to type a command. Describe what you want explained and name the piece of code. The skill also accepts a file path as an argument, shown in its hint as [file-path]. Examples of requests that should match:
- Explain src/auth/login.ts in depth and how it fits the architecture.
- Walk me through the verifyToken function in src/auth/login.ts.
- I'm new here. How does the billing module work and what does it depend on?
- What is the role of this file in the overall structure, and what data goes in and out?
What the explanation covers
The skill follows a fixed sequence. It finds the component in the graph, reads the connections between it and other parts, identifies its architectural layer, then reads the real source file. The explanation then covers the component's role, its internal structure, its external connections, the data flow from inputs to outputs, and any patterns or complexity worth knowing.
The explanation is written to assume you may not know the programming language.
- Role in the architecture and which layer it belongs to
- Internal structure: functions and classes it contains
- External connections: what it imports, calls or depends on, and what calls it
- Data flow from inputs through processing to outputs
- Patterns and complexity worth understanding
Safety notes: scripts and network
This skill does not run scripts and does not use the network, according to its listing. It reads the knowledge graph and project files, and runs Git commands to check freshness, such as comparing the graph's commit with the current HEAD and listing changed files. Those Git commands only inspect the project; they are read-only checks of commit and file-change information.
Because the skill explains code rather than checking it, do not rely on it to find security problems.
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: no
- Reads the graph and source files and runs Git status and diff checks
What people use it for
- Getting oriented in an unfamiliar repository by explaining its main entry module and what it connects to.
- Understanding a single function by asking how it is called and what data it receives and returns.
- Preparing for a code review by learning how a changed module fits into the overall architecture.
- Studying a project as a newcomer by requesting a walkthrough of one file at a time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the understand-explain skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does understand-explain require the /understand command?
Yes. The skill reads a knowledge graph built by the companion /understand command, stored in .ua/ or .understand-anything/. If the graph is missing, the skill stops and asks you to run /understand first.
Do I need Git to use this skill?
Git is needed for the freshness check. If Git metadata is unavailable, the skill gives a brief warning and continues without blocking you.
Is understand-explain free and what is its licence?
The project is released under the MIT licence. This page does not state pricing, so check the source repository for any other terms.
Does the skill run scripts or use the internet?
According to its listing, it runs no scripts and uses no network. It reads the knowledge graph and source files and runs Git checks for freshness.
Can I use understand-explain to find security bugs?
No. The skill explains how code works rather than checking it for vulnerabilities. Use a dedicated security review or audit tool for that task.
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Our verdict
Use understand-explain if you want a clear, context-aware walkthrough of one file, function or module and you are willing to run /understand first. Pick something else if you only need a quick syntax answer, if you need a security audit or bug hunt, or if your project has no generated graph and you do not want to create one.
Download the skill