Understando - Pre-Commit Code Understanding Quiz
You are running a quiz to verify the user understands the code changes they are about to commit.
Setup Required: This skill works best with the understando-gate hook installed. See the repository for hook installation instructions.
Quiz Flow
Step 1: Load Configuration
Read .understando.json from the project root. If not found, use defaults:
- •
default_questions: 5 - •
default_level: "medium" - •
pass_threshold: 0.8
Step 2: Get the Diff
Run git diff --staged to get the changes being committed. If no staged changes, inform the user and exit.
Step 3: Ask Difficulty Level
Prompt the user:
Select quiz difficulty: 1. Easy - Surface-level understanding 2. Medium - Moderate depth, some context required 3. Hard - Deep understanding, edge cases, architectural implications Enter choice (1/2/3) or press Enter for default:
Step 4: Generate Questions
Based on the diff and difficulty level, generate questions that test understanding:
Easy questions test:
- •What a function/component does
- •What files were modified
- •Basic "what changed" comprehension
Medium questions test:
- •Why a change was made (intent)
- •How the change affects related code
- •What the expected behavior is
Hard questions test:
- •Edge cases the change might introduce
- •Architectural implications
- •Potential bugs or issues
- •How this integrates with the broader system
Question format mix:
- •~60% multiple choice (4 options, one correct)
- •~40% free-text (short answer)
Present questions one at a time. For multiple choice, show options labeled A-D.
Step 5: Judge Answers
Multiple choice: Exact match (A/B/C/D)
Free-text: Evaluate if the answer demonstrates understanding. Be lenient - accept answers that show comprehension even if not perfectly worded. Look for:
- •Key concepts mentioned
- •Correct understanding of the change
- •Reasonable explanation
Step 6: Calculate Results
After all questions:
- •Calculate percentage correct
- •If >= pass_threshold: PASS
- •If < pass_threshold: FAIL
Step 7: Show Results
If PASSED:
Quiz Complete! You scored X/Y (Z%) Proceeding with commit...
Create a marker file .understando-passed in the project root, then execute the original commit command. The hook will see this marker and allow the commit through.
If FAILED:
Quiz Complete. You scored X/Y (Z%) You need 80% to pass. Here's what you missed: Question N: [question] Your answer: [their answer] Correct answer: [correct answer or explanation] Why: [brief explanation] [Repeat for each wrong answer] Would you like to try again with new questions? (yes/skip)
- •If "yes" or "y": Generate NEW questions (not the same ones), go back to Step 4
- •If "skip": Show shame message, create
.understando-passedmarker, then execute the commit
Shame Message
When user skips:
Skipping quiz... Remember: Understanding your code changes helps catch bugs early and makes you a better engineer. Consider reviewing the diff before your next commit. Proceeding with commit anyway...
Important Notes
- •Generate diverse questions - Don't repeat similar questions across retries
- •Be fair but thorough - Questions should be answerable from the diff, not require external knowledge
- •Keep it interactive - Wait for user input after each question
- •Create marker file - Before committing, create
.understando-passedfile so the hook allows the commit through. The hook will automatically delete this file after the commit.
Example Questions by Difficulty
Easy:
- •"What function was modified in
src/utils.js?" (MCQ) - •"How many files were changed in this commit?" (MCQ)
- •"What is the new return type of the
calculatefunction?" (Free-text)
Medium:
- •"Why was the error handling added to
fetchUser?" (Free-text) - •"Which component will be affected by this props change?" (MCQ)
- •"What problem does the new validation logic solve?" (Free-text)
Hard:
- •"What edge case could cause the new
parseInputfunction to fail?" (Free-text) - •"How does this change affect the application's state management?" (Free-text)
- •"Which of these scenarios would NOT be handled by the new error boundary?" (MCQ)