Skip to content

Explain Decorator

Explains code or technical concepts with appropriate depth.

Category: Developer Education

Parameters

Parameter Type Description Default
level enum Expertise assumption intermediate
approach enum Explanation style examples
focus enum Explanation emphasis both

Level Options

  • beginner: Explain this as if to someone new to the field, avoiding jargon and using simple concepts.
  • intermediate: Explain this to someone with moderate familiarity with the subject area.
  • advanced: Provide an in-depth technical explanation suitable for experts in the field.

Approach Options

  • analogy: Use relevant analogies to make the concept more relatable.
  • examples: Include concrete examples to illustrate the concept.
  • theory: Focus on the theoretical foundations and principles.
  • step-by-step: Break down the explanation into clear sequential steps.
  • visual: Describe visual representations or diagrams that would help understand the concept.

Focus Options

  • how: Focus on how it works and practical implementation details.
  • why: Focus on why it exists and the underlying rationale.
  • both: Cover both how it works and why it exists or is designed this way.

Examples

Explaining a programming concept at intermediate level with examples

+++Explain(level=intermediate, approach=examples, focus=both)
Explain React's useEffect hook and its dependency array.

A comprehensive explanation of React's useEffect hook that assumes intermediate knowledge, uses concrete examples, and covers both how it works and why it's designed that way.

Explaining a complex concept to beginners using analogies

+++Explain(level=beginner, approach=analogy, focus=how)
Explain how public key cryptography works.

A beginner-friendly explanation of public key cryptography using analogies, focusing on how it works rather than theoretical underpinnings.

Model-Specific Implementations

gpt-4-turbo

Instruction: Please explain the following concept or code with clarity and detail.

Notes: Slightly simplified instruction for models with less context capacity.

Implementation Guidance

Explaining a programming concept

Original Prompt: 

Explain React's useEffect hook and its dependency array.

Transformed Prompt: 

Explain the following concept or code clearly and thoroughly. Explain this to someone with moderate familiarity with the subject area. Include concrete examples to illustrate the concept. Cover both how it works and why it exists or is designed this way.

Explain React's useEffect hook and its dependency array.

Notes: The transformation adds context about the target audience level, preferred explanation approach, and what aspects to focus on.

Transformation Details

Base Instruction: Explain the following concept or code clearly and thoroughly.

Placement: prepend

Composition Behavior: accumulate

Parameter Effects:

  • level:
  • When set to beginner: Explain this as if to someone new to the field, avoiding jargon and using simple concepts.
  • When set to intermediate: Explain this to someone with moderate familiarity with the subject area.

  • When set to advanced: Provide an in-depth technical explanation suitable for experts in the field.

  • approach:

  • When set to analogy: Use relevant analogies to make the concept more relatable.
  • When set to examples: Include concrete examples to illustrate the concept.
  • When set to theory: Focus on the theoretical foundations and principles.
  • When set to step-by-step: Break down the explanation into clear sequential steps.

  • When set to visual: Describe visual representations or diagrams that would help understand the concept.

  • focus:

  • When set to how: Focus on how it works and practical implementation details.
  • When set to why: Focus on why it exists and the underlying rationale.
  • When set to both: Cover both how it works and why it exists or is designed this way.

Compatibility

  • Requires: None
  • Conflicts: ELI5, TechnicalDetail
  • Compatible Models: gpt-4-turbo, gpt-4o, claude-3-7-sonnet-latest, llama-3.2
  • Standard Version: 1.0.0 - 1.5.0
  • ELI5: Conflicts with Explain ELI5 sets a specific explanation level that would override the level parameter in Explain.
  • CodeReview: Enhances Explain Can be used together to explain code while reviewing it.