Explain As
Use /explain to answer as STE prose, a diagram, an HTML page, or a narrated video.
Illustration. Actual results depend on the mod, terminal and environment.
Install
/plugin marketplace add Sumit189/explain-claude-mod
/plugin install explain-as@explain-as
/reload-pluginsRun these commands one at a time in a Claude Code session.
claude plugin marketplace add Sumit189/explain-claude-mod
claude plugin install explain-as@explain-asThen run /reload-plugins in your session, or start a new session.
Please install the Claude Code mod "Explain As" (https://github.com/Sumit189/explain-claude-mod). Before installing, read the Security and Requirements sections of its README and tell me what it reads and writes, which commands it runs, whether it uses the network, and which Claude Code version, OS and terminal it needs. If everything looks fine, run claude plugin marketplace add Sumit189/explain-claude-mod and claude plugin install explain-as@explain-as, then remind me to run /reload-plugins in my session.Send this to Claude Code so it reads the author’s instructions before installing.
git clone https://github.com/Sumit189/explain-claude-mod
cd explain-claude-mod
claude --plugin-dir .Clone the repository and try it in a local session with --plugin-dir.
What it accesses
Based on the author’s documentation, checked when listed; use claude plugin validate to check for yourself.
Reads
YesReads the session cwd and `.explain/` sources plus screenshot PNG/JPEG files.
Writes files
YesWrites diagrams, HTML, screenshots, and zoom crops under project `.explain/`.
Runs commands
YesRuns headless Chrome/Chromium/Brave for screenshots; optional ffmpeg, sips, osascript, open/xdg-open.
Network
YesInjects format rules into model prompts; Mermaid pages fetch jsDelivr; optional ElevenLabs.
Introduction
Explain As is a Claude Code function-hooks mod. /explain opens a picker band above the prompt so later answers come as ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English, a Mermaid diagram, a self-contained interactive HTML page, or a 3Blue1Brown-style narrated video. Diagrams and pages are saved under .explain/, screenshot with headless Chrome, Chromium, or Brave, and shown in a zoomable pane; you can open the live page in a browser. Video mode plays in Chrome with on-device speechSynthesis by default, or ElevenLabs mp3s via curl when ELEVENLABS_API_KEY is set. Needs Claude Code 2.1.287+ and a terminal with image support (Ghostty, kitty, iTerm2, WezTerm). Zoom optionally uses ffmpeg; on macOS AppleScript can refresh an open Chrome tab. It reads and writes .explain/, launches browsers and related commands, injects format rules into model prompts, and Mermaid pages load from jsDelivr. The repo has no LICENSE. The preview is illustrative.
Who it is for
- People who want diagrams, interactive pages, or explainer videos instead of plain prose
- Writers who want ASD-STE100-style short technical answers
Requirements
- Claude Code ≥ 2.1.287
- Platforms · macOS / Linux
- Needs Chrome, Chromium, or Brave for screenshots and video playback.
- Pane preview needs a terminal with image support; ffmpeg helps zoom.
- Video uses on-device TTS by default; ElevenLabs only if ELEVENLABS_API_KEY is set.