Codex Explain Skill
Trigger
- •Keywords: explain code, what does this do, how does this work, code walkthrough
When NOT to Use
- •Code review (use
codex-code-review) - •Bug investigation (use
bug-fixorissue-analyze) - •Architecture overview (use
code-explore)
Workflow
code
Read target → [Collect context] → Codex explain → Output explanation
Step 1: Read Target File
Read file content. If --lines specified, extract only that range.
Step 2: Codex Explanation
Use mcp__codex__codex with explanation prompt. See @references/codex-prompt-explain.md.
Config: sandbox: 'read-only', approval-policy: 'never'
Depth Levels
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| brief | One-sentence summary |
| normal | Functional overview + execution flow + key concepts (default) |
| deep | + Design patterns + complexity + issues + dependencies |
Verification
- • Codex independently researched project context (imports, callers)
- • Explanation matches requested depth level
- • Key concepts are identified and explained
References
- •Explanation prompt:
references/codex-prompt-explain.md
Examples
code
Input: /codex-explain src/service/order/order.service.ts Action: Read file → Codex explain (normal) → Functional summary + detailed explanation Input: /codex-explain src/service/xxx.ts --depth deep Action: Read file → Codex explain (deep) → Patterns + complexity + issues Input: /codex-explain src/xxx.ts --lines 50-100 Action: Read lines 50-100 → Codex explain → Focused explanation