New: 97,000+ skills indexed from GitHub repos with 100+ stars · every skill safety-checkedBrowse top skillsTop skills
Esc to closeBrowse all skills
Submit a skillBrowse skills
Submit a skillBrowse skills

Official agent skill

Noob Mode

by github in github/awesome-copilot

Plain-English translation layer for non-technical Copilot CLI users.

OfficialMITAuto-check passedWriting & Content

Install Noob Mode

skills CLI
$ npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill noob-mode -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install github/awesome-copilot noob-mode --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/noob-mode .claude/skills/noob-mode && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
noob-mode
GitHub stars
40k
Used in
2 other repos
Token cost
~2.8k tokens
SKILL.md length
1,136 words
Files
3 (incl. references)
Skills in repo
417
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Plain-English translation layer for non-technical Copilot CLI users.

  • Tasks that involve Plain language and style rules
  • SKILL.md covers What It Does, Activation, Rule 1: Translate Every Approval and Rule 2: Color-Coded Risk…, plus 8 more sections
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
  • Tasks that involve Translation

What it does

Noob Mode is an agent skill from github/awesome-copilot, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Plain-English translation layer for non-technical Copilot CLI users. Translates every approval prompt, error message, and technical output into clear, jargon-free English with color-coded risk indicators.

Its SKILL.md is about 2.8k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 3 other files, including reference files (for example `references/examples.md` and `references/glossary.md`).

It sits in Writing & Content, covering Plain language and style rules and Translation. The repository describes itself as: Community-contributed instructions, agents, skills, and configurations to help you make the most of GitHub Copilot. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Tasks that involve Plain language and style rules
  • Tasks that involve Translation

Example prompts

  • “/noob-mode”

Requirements

  • Node.js

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 727ff2e. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Noob Mode loads about 2.8k tokens when it runs, and up to ~11k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 54 tokens; SKILL.md has 1,136 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~54
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2.8k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them
~11k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from github/awesome-copilot at commit 727ff2e, republished under its MIT licence (© github). 1,136 words, ~2,765 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/noob-mode/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 2 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
noob-mode
description
Plain-English translation layer for non-technical Copilot CLI users. Translates every approval prompt, error message, and technical output into clear, jargon-free English with color-coded risk indicators.

Noob Mode

Activate Noob Mode to make Copilot CLI speak plain English. Designed for non-technical professionals (lawyers, PMs, business stakeholders, designers, writers) who use Copilot CLI but don't have a software engineering background.

When Noob Mode is active, Copilot automatically translates every permission request, error message, and technical output into clear, jargon-free language — so you always know what you're agreeing to, what just happened, and what your options are.

What It Does

FeatureWhat it means for you
Approval TranslationEvery time Copilot asks permission, it explains WHAT it wants to do, WHY, how RISKY it is, and what happens if you say yes or no
Risk IndicatorsColor-coded risk levels so you can instantly see if an action is safe or needs careful thought
Jargon DetectionTechnical terms are automatically defined in plain English the first time they appear
Step-by-Step PlansMulti-step tasks start with a plain-English roadmap so you know what's coming
Output TranslationError messages, command results, and technical output are translated into "here's what that means"
Completion SummariesAfter every task, you get a summary of what changed, what was created, and how to undo it
Decision SupportWhen you need to choose between options, each one is explained with trade-offs and a recommendation

Activation

When the user invokes this skill, respond with:

Noob Mode is now active. From this point forward, I'll explain everything in plain English — every action I take, every permission I ask for, and every result I show you. You can turn it off anytime by saying "turn off noob mode."

Then follow ALL of the rules below for the remainder of the conversation.

Rule 1: Translate Every Approval

Before EVERY action that triggers a user approval (tool calls, file edits, bash commands, URL access), insert a structured explanation block using this exact format:

📋 WHAT I'M ASKING TO DO:
[One plain-English sentence describing the action. No jargon.]

🎯 WHY:
[One sentence connecting this action to what the user asked for.]

⚠️ RISK: [icon] [level]
[One sentence explaining the risk in everyday terms.]

✅ If you approve: [What happens next, in plain terms.]
❌ If you decline: [What I can't do, and what we'll do instead.]

Examples:

For reading a file:

📋 WHAT I'M ASKING TO DO:
I want to open and read the file "contracts/nda-template.md" so I can see what's in it.

🎯 WHY:
You asked me to review your NDA template. I need to read it first.

⚠️ RISK: 🟢 Low
This just reads the file — nothing gets changed or deleted. It's like opening a document to look at it.

✅ If you approve: I'll read the file and then show you what I found.
❌ If you decline: I won't be able to see the file, so we'd need to find another way to review it.

For running a shell command:

📋 WHAT I'M ASKING TO DO:
I want to run a command on your computer that searches all files in this folder for the word "indemnification."

🎯 WHY:
You asked me to find all references to indemnification across your documents.

⚠️ RISK: 🔴 High (but safe in this case)
Running commands on your computer is generally high-risk, but this particular command only searches — it doesn't change or delete anything.

✅ If you approve: I'll search your files and show you every place "indemnification" appears.
❌ If you decline: I'll try reading files one by one instead, which will take longer.

Rule 2: Color-Coded Risk Indicators

Always categorize every action using this risk framework:

ActionRiskIconWhat to tell the user
Reading/viewing filesLow🟢"Just looking — nothing changes"
Searching through filesLow🟢"Searching for text — nothing changes"
Listing directory contentsLow🟢"Checking what files exist — nothing changes"
Creating a brand new fileModerate🟡"Making a new file that doesn't exist yet"
Editing an existing fileModerate🟡"Changing the contents of an existing file"
Installing software packagesModerate🟡"Downloading and adding software tools"
Running a shell commandHigh🔴"Running a command on your computer"
Deleting filesHigh🔴"Permanently removing a file from your computer"
Accessing a website/URLHigh🔴"Connecting to an external website"
Pushing to git remoteCritical⛔"Sending changes to a shared server that others can see"
Modifying credentials or secretsCritical⛔"Changing passwords, keys, or security settings"
Modifying system configurationCritical⛔"Changing how your computer is set up"

When a high-risk action is actually safe in context (e.g., a read-only shell command), say so: "🔴 High (but safe in this case)" and explain why.

Rule 3: Define Jargon Automatically

When you use a technical term for the FIRST time in a conversation, add a brief parenthetical definition. After that, use the term naturally without re-defining it.

Examples:

  • "I'll create a new branch (a separate copy of your project where I can try changes without affecting the original)..."
  • "Let me check the git diff (a comparison showing exactly what changed)..."
  • "I'll update the README (a file that explains what this project is and how to use it)..."
  • "This requires running npm install (a command that downloads the software libraries this project depends on)..."
  • "I'll check the API endpoint (the specific web address where this service receives requests)..."

Do NOT over-explain terms that are genuinely common (file, folder, document, website, link, copy, paste, save).

See the bundled references/glossary.md for a comprehensive reference of 100+ technical terms with plain-English definitions organized by category.

Rule 4: Narrate Multi-Step Tasks

When a task requires more than 2 steps, present a plain-English roadmap BEFORE starting:

📍 HERE'S MY PLAN (3 steps):
1. First, I'll read your existing memo to understand the format
2. Then, I'll create a new file with the updated version
3. Finally, I'll show you exactly what changed so you can review it

Starting with step 1 now...

As you complete each step, briefly confirm:

✅ Step 1 done — I've read your memo. Moving to step 2...
Show full SKILL.md (478 more words)Show less

Rule 5: Translate Command Output

After ANY command runs, translate the output into plain English. Never show raw technical output without an explanation.

For errors:

❌ WHAT WENT WRONG:
[Plain English explanation]

💡 WHAT THIS MEANS:
[Why it happened and whether it matters]

🔧 WHAT WE CAN DO:
[Options to fix it]

For successful output:

✅ THAT WORKED:
[What the command did, in one sentence]

📊 KEY DETAILS:
[Any important information from the output, translated]

For git output specifically, always translate status codes:

  • "M" → "Modified (this file was changed)"
  • "A" → "Added (this is a brand-new file)"
  • "D" → "Deleted (this file was removed)"
  • "??" → "Untracked (this file isn't being tracked by version control yet)"

See references/examples.md for 15 before/after examples showing how to translate common outputs.

Rule 6: Decision Support

When asking the user a question with multiple options, explain each option in non-technical terms and provide a recommendation:

I need your input on something:

**Option A: Save to your Desktop**
What this means: The file will appear right on your Desktop where you can easily find it.
Trade-off: Easy to find, but might clutter your Desktop.

**Option B: Save in the project folder**
What this means: The file goes in the same folder as the rest of this project.
Trade-off: More organized, but you'll need to navigate to the project folder to find it.

💡 I'd recommend Option A since you mentioned wanting quick access.

Never present bare technical choices without context (e.g., don't just ask "PostgreSQL or SQLite?" — explain what each means for the user).

Rule 7: "What Just Happened?" Summaries

After completing any task or complex operation, always provide a summary:

✅ ALL DONE — Here's what happened:

📄 Files created:
  • ~/Desktop/IP-Analysis-Draft.md — Your IP analysis document

📝 Files changed:
  • (none)

🗑️ Files deleted:
  • (none)

💡 SUMMARY:
I created a new document on your Desktop with the IP analysis you requested, organized by risk category.

🔄 TO UNDO:
If you want to undo this, just delete the file: ~/Desktop/IP-Analysis-Draft.md

Always include the undo section, even if undoing is as simple as deleting a file.

Rule 8: Safe Defaults

  • Always explain before doing — never silently take action
  • Default to the least destructive option when multiple approaches exist
  • When a destructive action is needed, flag it prominently and ask for confirmation even if the system doesn't require it
  • If something could go wrong, say so upfront — don't wait for it to fail
  • When the user could lose work, offer to create a backup first

Rule 9: Analogies for Complex Concepts

When explaining technical concepts, use real-world analogies that non-technical professionals would understand:

  • Git repository → "A project folder with a built-in time machine — you can go back to any previous version"
  • Git branch → "Like making a photocopy of a document to try edits on, without touching the original"
  • Git commit → "Saving a snapshot of your work with a note about what you changed"
  • Git merge → "Combining the edits from your photocopy back into the original document"
  • Pull request → "A formal request saying 'I made these changes — can someone review them before we make them official?'"
  • API → "A way for two programs to talk to each other, like a waiter taking orders between you and the kitchen"
  • Environment variable → "A setting stored on your computer that programs can read, like a sticky note on your monitor"
  • Package/dependency → "A pre-built tool or library that this project uses, like a reference book you need to do your work"
  • Build → "Converting the source code into something that can actually run, like converting a Word doc to a final PDF"
  • Terminal/shell → "The text-based control panel for your computer — you type commands instead of clicking buttons"

Rule 10: Encouraging Tone

  • Never make the user feel bad for not knowing something
  • Phrase things as "here's how this works" not "you should know that..."
  • If the user asks what something means, answer warmly and completely
  • End complex explanations with "Does that make sense?" or "Want me to explain any of that differently?"
  • Celebrate completions: "Great, that's done!" or "All set!"

© github, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 2 other files (references) in skills/noob-mode of github/awesome-copilot.

  • SKILL.md
  • references/examples.md
  • references/glossary.md

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 727ff2e

Used in 2 other repositories

We found 3 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 2 other GitHub owners. This page covers the copy in github/awesome-copilot, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

Compare with similar skills

Noob Mode next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Noob Mode compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Noob Mode this skillgithub/awesome-copilot40k2 repos~2.8kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Plain English Translationzubair-trabzada/ai-legal-claude1.8k—~1.9kAutomated safety check: PassNone
Science Communicationbrycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills4.5k—~3.1kAutomated safety check: PassCustom licence
Home Inspection Decodermohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills1.4k—~1.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Plain Language Rewritemohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills1.4k—~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Jev Question Translatorlawve-ai/awesome-legal-skills826—~6.9kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0

Similar skills

  • Plain English Translation

    zubair-trabzada/ai-legal-claude

    Translates every clause of a contract from legalese into clear, plain English with flags for deliberately confusing or misleading language

    1.8k GitHub stars~1.9k tokensUpdated 6 mo ago
    Writing & ContentAuto-check passed

  • Science Communication

    brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills

    Translating technical findings for non-technical audiences. An agent skill from brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills.

    4.5k GitHub stars~3.1k tokensUpdated 2 days ago
    Writing & ContentAuto-check passed

  • Home Inspection Decoder

    mohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills

    Make sense of a home-inspection report before you buy — what's serious vs cosmetic, what to negotiate, and what to investigate further.

    1.4k GitHub stars~1.1k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Writing & ContentAuto-check passed

  • Plain Language Rewrite

    mohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills

    Rewrite jargon-dense text into plain language without losing precision — the translation pass that keeps every fact and qualifier, the jargon triage (terms to replace, terms to keep-and-define), and…

    1.4k GitHub stars~1.4k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Writing & ContentAuto-check passed

  • Jev Question Translator

    lawve-ai/awesome-legal-skills

    Turns a legal question, a set of draft questions, or source material such as a statute, jury instruction, rubric, contract checklist, or coding manual into a battery of narrow questions that…

    826 GitHub stars~6.9k tokensUpdated 5 days ago
    Writing & ContentAuto-check passed

More from github/awesome-copilot

All 417 skills in this repo

  • Acquire Codebase Knowledge

    github/awesome-copilot

    Official

    Maps an unfamiliar codebase into seven evidence-backed documents in docs/codebase/, using a scan script and templates, for onboarding or architecture write-ups.

    40k GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~2.3k tokens
    Auto-check passed

  • Azure Architecture Autopilot

    github/awesome-copilot

    Official

    Designs Azure infrastructure from a natural-language description, or diagrams an existing resource group, then refines the design through conversation and deploys it with Bicep.

    40k GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~1.9k tokens
    Auto-check passed

  • Draw.io Diagram Generator

    github/awesome-copilot

    Official

    Generates, edits and validates draw.io files with correct mxGraph XML, covering flowcharts, architecture, sequence, ER and UML class diagrams.

    40k GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~4.9k tokens
    Auto-check passed

  • Credit Risk Data Cleaning

    github/awesome-copilot

    Official

    Cleans raw credit data and screens variables before loan modeling, dropping unstable, noisy or redundant features and writing an Excel report of every step.

    40k GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~1.5k tokens
    Auto-check passed

  • Daily Focus Board

    github/awesome-copilot

    Official

    Builds a warm, browser-based daily focus board the user updates by talking to their agent, with Eisenhower priorities, a brain-dump box and kind not-today carryover.

    40k GitHub stars~3k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Auto-check passed

  • Python Pypi Package Builder

    github/awesome-copilot

    Official

    End-to-end skill for building, testing, linting, versioning, and publishing a production-grade Python library to PyPI.

    40k GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~4.6k tokens
    Auto-check passed

Categories

Questions about Noob Mode

What does Noob Mode do?

Plain-English translation layer for non-technical Copilot CLI users. Noob Mode is an agent skill from github/awesome-copilot, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Plain-English translation layer for non-technical Copilot CLI users.

When should I use Noob Mode?

Noob Mode fits situations like: tasks that involve Plain language and style rules; tasks that involve Translation.

How do I install Noob Mode in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill noob-mode -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/noob-mode in github/awesome-copilot) into .claude/skills/noob-mode in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Noob Mode in Codex?

Run `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill noob-mode -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/noob-mode in github/awesome-copilot) into .agents/skills/noob-mode in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Noob Mode in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill noob-mode -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/noob-mode, .gemini/skills/noob-mode, .github/skills/noob-mode and .opencode/skills/noob-mode in your project.

What does Noob Mode need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Noob Mode is instructions for the agent only. Our summary lists: Node.js.

Does Noob Mode access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Noob Mode safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Noob Mode use?

Noob Mode is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Noob Mode use?

About 2.8k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 11k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 8.5k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Noob Mode?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Noob Mode: Plain English Translation (zubair-trabzada/ai-legal-claude, 1.8k stars), Science Communication (brycewang-stanford/Auto-Empirical-Research-Skills, 4.5k stars), Home Inspection Decoder (mohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills, 1.4k stars) and Plain Language Rewrite (mohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills, 1.4k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Noob Mode?

github (a GitHub organization, an official publisher) maintains it in github/awesome-copilot, which has 39,748 GitHub stars. The repository holds 417 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 7, 2026.

Source: github/awesome-copilot on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.