eli5

Explain a topic at five depth levels from metaphor to frontier. Use when asked "ELI5", "explain X", "what is X", or "how does X work".

srobroek 1 Updated 1w ago

Install

npx skillscat add srobroek/omp-plugins/eli5

Install via the SkillsCat registry.

SKILL.md

Explain the topic from the user request.

Before explaining, ask these questions:

Depth: How deep? All 5 levels (default), or specific levels?
Research: Pair with research?
- read on a URL / web_search -- topic changed materially in the last 12 months or needs current, source-backed facts
- whats-new -- topic is a tool, library, service, or model and you need changes since a baseline
- none -- explain from existing knowledge (default)

If the user doesn't specify, default to all 5 levels with no research skill.

Level	Name	Goal	Words
1	Metaphor	What it's like. Pure analogy, zero jargon. A child could follow.	~80-120
2	Concept	What it is. Plain language, core ideas, when you'd reach for it.	~80-120
3	Mechanism	How it works. Technical detail, components, data flow, key algorithms.	~80-120
4	Tradeoffs	Why it matters. Design choices, alternatives, when to use vs. avoid, failure modes, cost.	~80-120
5	Frontier	What's next. Edge cases, open problems, competing research, where the field is heading.	~150

Each level gets its own heading with a one-line summary:

## 1. Metaphor
The shortest version: It's like sending a sealed envelope through a chain of trusted couriers.

[3-5 short paragraphs]

Repeat for each requested level.

Prefer accuracy over cute analogies.
Do not flatten meaningful uncertainty just to simplify.
If the user asks for one level only, give one level only.
Make higher levels add nuance, not just length.
Word budgets are soft targets -- adjust for topic complexity; accuracy always wins over budget.