Cyclomatic Complexity
saurabhkumar8112/cyclomatic-complexity-skill
Refactor code to reduce cyclomatic complexity so it stays readable, maintainable, and aligned with the long-term vision of the codebase, not just optimized for AI comprehension.
Breaks down a shared code snippet into a plain-English overview, a step-by-step walkthrough and the key programming concepts it uses, with optional improvement suggestions.
Install Code Explainer
$ npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill code-explainer -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/waza code-explainer --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/waza.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/code-explainer .claude/skills/code-explainer && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.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/
Install the "code-explainer" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/waza/tree/main/skills/code-explainer into .claude/skills/code-explainer/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "code-explainer", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/microsoft/waza/tree/main/skills/code-explainerType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill code-explainer -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/waza code-explainer --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/waza.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/code-explainer .agents/skills/code-explainer && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "code-explainer" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/waza/tree/main/skills/code-explainer into .agents/skills/code-explainer/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "code-explainer", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill code-explainer -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/waza code-explainer --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/waza.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/code-explainer .cursor/skills/code-explainer && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "code-explainer" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/waza/tree/main/skills/code-explainer into .cursor/skills/code-explainer/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "code-explainer", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/microsoft/waza.git --path skills/code-explainer--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill code-explainer -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/waza code-explainer --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/waza.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/code-explainer .gemini/skills/code-explainer && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "code-explainer" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/waza/tree/main/skills/code-explainer into .gemini/skills/code-explainer/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "code-explainer", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install microsoft/waza code-explainerInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill code-explainer -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/waza.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/code-explainer .github/skills/code-explainer && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "code-explainer" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/waza/tree/main/skills/code-explainer into .github/skills/code-explainer/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "code-explainer", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill code-explainer -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/waza code-explainer --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/waza.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/code-explainer .opencode/skills/code-explainer && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "code-explainer" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/waza/tree/main/skills/code-explainer into .opencode/skills/code-explainer/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "code-explainer", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
code-explainer- GitHub stars
- 1.4k
- Token cost
- ~612 tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 300 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 16
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Breaks down a shared code snippet into a plain-English overview, a step-by-step walkthrough and the key programming concepts it uses, with optional improvement suggestions.
- Works in 4 steps: Identify the language - Detect what… → Break it down - Explain the code step by… → Highlight key concepts - Point out… → …
- Learning what an unfamiliar piece of code actually does
- SKILL.md covers Instructions, Output Format, Examples and Behavior Guidelines
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
What it does
This skill takes whatever code a user shares, identifies its language, and explains it in a fixed structure: a one-sentence overview of what the code does, a numbered step-by-step explanation of each significant part, a list of the key programming concepts involved such as recursion or list comprehension, and an optional suggestions section for improvements or alternatives when appropriate.
Two worked examples show the pattern: a recursive factorial function explained through its base case and recursive case, and a list comprehension explained by breaking apart its range, filter and transform pieces into separate steps. Behavior guidelines ask it to stay educational and helpful, match technical depth to the code's complexity, mention bugs kindly if it spots any, support all common programming languages, and keep explanations concise but complete.
When your agent uses it
- Learning what an unfamiliar piece of code actually does
- Getting a plain-English explanation to use in a code review comment
- Breaking down a snippet for documentation or a tutorial
- Checking whether a function's logic matches what it is supposed to do
Example prompts
- “Explain this recursive factorial function step by step.”
- “What does this list comprehension actually compute?”
- “Walk me through this regular expression and what each part matches.”
- “Explain this sorting function and point out any concepts I should know.”
Workflow steps
4 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.
- Identify the language - Detect what programming language the code is written in
- Break it down - Explain the code step by step
- Highlight key concepts - Point out important patterns, algorithms, or techniques
- Suggest improvements - If appropriate, mention potential optimizations or best practices
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 774df00. 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 (its code samples are python).
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
Code Explainer loads about 612 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 39 tokens; SKILL.md has 300 words of instructions outside code blocks.
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 microsoft/waza at commit 774df00, republished under its MIT licence (© microsoft). 300 words, ~612 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/code-explainer/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).- name
- code-explainer
- description
- Explains code snippets in plain English, breaking down what the code does step by step. Perfect for learning, code reviews, or documentation.
Code Explainer Skill
You are a code explanation expert. When users share code snippets, you explain what the code does in clear, plain English.
Instructions
- Identify the language - Detect what programming language the code is written in
- Break it down - Explain the code step by step
- Highlight key concepts - Point out important patterns, algorithms, or techniques
- Suggest improvements - If appropriate, mention potential optimizations or best practices
Output Format
Structure your explanation as:
- Overview: A one-sentence summary of what the code does
- Step-by-Step: Numbered explanation of each significant part
- Key Concepts: Important programming concepts used
- Suggestions (optional): Improvements or alternatives
Examples
Example 1: Simple Function
User: Explain this code:
def factorial(n):
if n <= 1:
return 1
return n * factorial(n - 1)Response: Overview: This is a recursive function that calculates the factorial of a number.
Step-by-Step:
- The function
factorialtakes a single parametern - Base case: If
nis 0 or 1, return 1 (since 0! = 1! = 1) - Recursive case: Multiply
nby the factorial ofn-1 - This continues until reaching the base case
Key Concepts:
- Recursion: The function calls itself
- Base case: Prevents infinite recursion
- Mathematical factorial: n! = n × (n-1) × ... × 1
Example 2: List Comprehension
User: What does this do?
squares = [x**2 for x in range(10) if x % 2 == 0]Response: Overview: Creates a list of squares of even numbers from 0 to 9.
Step-by-Step:
range(10)generates numbers 0-9if x % 2 == 0filters to only even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6, 8)x**2squares each filtered number- Result:
[0, 4, 16, 36, 64]
Key Concepts:
- List comprehension: Compact way to create lists
- Filtering: Conditional inclusion with
if - Modulo operator:
%checks divisibility
Behavior Guidelines
- Always be educational and helpful
- Use appropriate technical depth based on the code complexity
- If the code has bugs, mention them kindly
- Support all common programming languages
- Keep explanations concise but complete
© microsoft, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
Just SKILL.md in skills/code-explainer of microsoft/waza.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 774df00
Compare with similar skills
Code Explainer 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.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Code Explainer this skillmicrosoft/waza | 1.4k | — | ~612 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Cyclomatic Complexitysaurabhkumar8112/cyclomatic-complexity-skill | 405 | — | ~761 | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Software Design Philosophyluoling8192/software-design-philosophy-skill | 344 | — | ~3.4k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Code Reviewhardness1020/Leeway | 115 | — | ~301 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Copilot Code Coachtimothywarner/chatgptclass | 143 | — | ~1.9k | Automated safety check: Pass | Custom licence | |
| Code Reviewjohnku2011/boilerplates-with-ai-skills | 240 | — | ~708 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
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Related
Categories
Questions about Code Explainer
What does Code Explainer do?
Breaks down a shared code snippet into a plain-English overview, a step-by-step walkthrough and the key programming concepts it uses, with optional improvement suggestions. This skill takes whatever code a user shares, identifies its language, and explains it in a fixed structure: a one-sentence overview of what the code does, a numbered step-by-step explanation of each significant part, a list of the key programming concepts involved such as recursion or list comprehension, and an optional suggestions section for improvements or alternatives when appropriate.
When should I use Code Explainer?
Code Explainer fits situations like: learning what an unfamiliar piece of code actually does; getting a plain-English explanation to use in a code review comment; breaking down a snippet for documentation or a tutorial; checking whether a function's logic matches what it is supposed to do.
How do I install Code Explainer in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill code-explainer -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/code-explainer in microsoft/waza) into .claude/skills/code-explainer in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Code Explainer in Codex?
Run `npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill code-explainer -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/code-explainer in microsoft/waza) into .agents/skills/code-explainer in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Code Explainer 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 microsoft/waza --skill code-explainer -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/code-explainer, .gemini/skills/code-explainer, .github/skills/code-explainer and .opencode/skills/code-explainer in your project.
What does Code Explainer need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Code Explainer is instructions for the agent only.
Does Code Explainer 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 Code Explainer 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 Code Explainer use?
Code Explainer 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 Code Explainer use?
About 612 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 2.4k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to Code Explainer?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Code Explainer: Cyclomatic Complexity (saurabhkumar8112/cyclomatic-complexity-skill, 405 stars), Software Design Philosophy (luoling8192/software-design-philosophy-skill, 344 stars), Code Review (hardness1020/Leeway, 115 stars) and Copilot Code Coach (timothywarner/chatgptclass, 143 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Code Explainer?
microsoft (a GitHub organization, an official publisher) maintains it in microsoft/waza, which has 1,400 GitHub stars. The repository holds 16 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 6, 2026.
Source: microsoft/waza on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.