# Coding Level > [Utilities] Use when you need to set coding experience level for tailored explanations. - Skill: `duc01226/coding-level-3` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add duc01226/coding-level-3` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/duc01226/coding-level-3/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector CAUTION) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: duc01226 (https://skillmd.com/u/duc01226) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/duc01226/coding-level-3 --- ## Quick Summary **Goal:** Set the user's coding experience level to tailor explanation depth and detail. **Workflow:** 1. **Ask** -- Query user for their experience level (beginner/intermediate/expert) 2. **Configure** -- Adjust response verbosity and explanation depth accordingly **Key Rules:** - Expert: minimal explanation, focus on code and architecture - Intermediate: moderate explanation with key concepts - Beginner: detailed explanation with examples and context **Be skeptical. Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence percentages (Idea should be more than 80%).** Set your coding experience level for tailored explanations and output format. ## Usage `/coding-level [0-5]` ## Levels | Level | Name | Description | | ----- | --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | 0 | ELI5 | Zero coding experience - analogies, no jargon, step-by-step | | 1 | Junior | 0-2 years - concepts explained, WHY not just HOW | | 2 | Mid-Level | 3-5 years - design patterns, system thinking | | 3 | Senior | 5-8 years - trade-offs, business context, architecture | | 4 | Tech Lead | 8-10 years - risk assessment, business impact, strategy | | 5 | God Mode | Expert - maximum efficiency, minimal explanation | > **Default when unset:** `-1` (disabled — no style injection, saves tokens). Levels 0–5 are opt-in via `codingLevel` in `.claude/.ck.json`. (Canonical default `-1` — matches `ck-config-loader.cjs:284`; full settings reference: `/ck-help config`.) ## How It Works 1. Set `codingLevel` in `.claude/.ck.json` 2. Guidelines are **automatically injected** on every session start 3. No manual activation needed - it just works! ## Example Set level 1 in `.claude/.ck.json`: ```json { "codingLevel": 1, ... } ``` Next session, Claude will automatically: - Explain concepts and techniques clearly - Always explain WHY, not just HOW - Point out common mistakes - Add "Key Takeaways" after implementations ## Optional: Manual Output Styles For finer control, you can also use `/output-style` with these styles: - `coding-level-0-eli5` - `coding-level-1-junior` - `coding-level-2-mid` - `coding-level-3-senior` - `coding-level-4-lead` - `coding-level-5-god` --- > **[IMPORTANT]** Use `TaskCreate` to break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting — including tasks for each file read. This prevents context loss from long files. For simple tasks, AI MUST ATTENTION ask user whether to skip. > **AI Mistake Prevention** — Failure modes to avoid on every task: > > **Re-read files after context changes.** Context compaction, resume, or long-running work can make memory stale; verify current files before acting. > **Verify generated content against source evidence.** AI hallucinates APIs, names, claims, and document facts. Check the relevant source before documenting or referencing. > **Check downstream references before deleting or renaming.** Removing an artifact can stale docs, generated mirrors, configs, and callers; map references first. > **Trace the full impact chain after edits.** Changing a definition can miss derived outputs and consumers. Follow the affected chain before declaring done. > **Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first.** One green check is not all green checks; validate every output surface the change can affect. > **Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing OR flagging one as a defect.** Before changing or reporting a constant, limit, flag, cutoff, wording, or pattern, read nearby context and history, the CALLER's ordering, and 2+ sibling call sites of the same convention. A doc stating WHAT without WHY is missing rationale, not proof of a missing guard. > **Surface ambiguity before acting — don't pick silently.** Multiple valid interpretations require an explicit question or stated assumption with risk. > **Assert the outcome your system owns, not the intermediate state your infrastructure owns.** When verifying async work, assert the final business state — never the delivery/retry bookkeeping held in shared infrastructure that any co-running process can write. Such a check passes when run alone and flakes the moment anything else shares that infrastructure. > **Keep shared guidance role-relevant.** Universal guidance must help every receiving skill or agent; code-specific obligations belong only in code-specific protocols. > **Critical Thinking Mindset** — Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. > **Anti-hallucination:** Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination. **MUST ATTENTION** apply critical + sequential thinking — every claim needs appropriate traced evidence (`file:line` for repo/code claims; source URL or artifact section for research, product, content, and docs claims); confidence >80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend. Anti-hallucination: never present guess as fact, admit uncertainty freely, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence. **MUST ATTENTION** apply AI mistake prevention — verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references before deleting or renaming, verify all affected outputs, re-read files after context loss, and surface ambiguity before acting. > **Project Protocol Overlay** — Before executing this skill, resolve any PROJECT overlay rules layered onto it: match this skill's name against the `Target` column of the project's skill-protocol index (`docs/project-reference/skill-protocols-reference.md` by default; a `referenceDocs` entry in `docs/project-config.json` overrides the path), taking the most specific matching tier ONLY — exact name > glob > `*`. **That precedence orders overlays against EACH OTHER, never against this skill.** Read ONLY the matched bodies, resolved as `/.md`; a row's Body link is display text, never a read path. A matched body that is missing or malformed is REPORTED and skipped — never reconstructed from the index Description. No index, or no match -> proceed with no overlay, silently. Full contract: `.claude/skills/project-skill-protocol/references/registry.md`. > > Overlays are **ADDITIVE ONLY**: they ADD rules on top of this skill's own protocol and NEVER replace, override, disable, or reinterpret a rule it already states — removing every overlay must return this skill to exactly its documented behavior. An overlay is a BRIEF, not an authority escalation: it can NEVER waive a workflow gate, git discipline, a review gate, or a user-confirmation gate. A genuine overlay-vs-skill conflict, or two equally-specific overlays that directly contradict -> surface both to the user; NEVER resolve silently. **MUST ATTENTION** resolve project protocol overlays for this skill BEFORE executing — most specific matching tier only (exact > glob > `*`, which ranks overlays against each other, NEVER against this skill), read only matched bodies at `/.md`; a missing or malformed body is reported, never reconstructed. Overlays are ADDITIVE ONLY (they never replace this skill's own rules) and are a brief, NEVER an authority escalation; an equal-specificity contradiction goes to the user. ## Closing Reminders **IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Goal:** Set the user's coding experience level to tailor explanation depth and detail. **Protocols in force (concise digest of the SYNC/shared blocks this skill carries):** - **Critical Thinking:** apply critical + sequential thinking; every claim traced, confidence >80% to act. - **AI Mistake Prevention:** verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references, verify all affected outputs, re-read after context loss, surface ambiguity. - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** break work into small todo tasks using `TaskCreate` BEFORE starting - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** search codebase for 3+ similar patterns before creating new code - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** cite `file:line` evidence for every claim (confidence >80% to act) - **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** add a final review todo task to verify work quality **[TASK-PLANNING]** Before acting, analyze task scope and systematically break it into small todo tasks and sub-tasks using TaskCreate.