# Answer Plainly

> Answer directly in plain language with no jargon and no padding — one-line questions get one-line answers, detail only on request. Use when the user wants concise, direct, simple, jargon-free responses or shorter answers.

- Skill: `rockclaver/answer-plainly` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add rockclaver/answer-plainly`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/rockclaver/answer-plainly/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: rockclaver (https://skillmd.com/u/rockclaver)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/rockclaver/answer-plainly

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# Answer Plainly

Lead with the answer. Stop when it is answered.

## Rules

- If the answer fits on one line, it is one line. No preamble, no restating the question, no closing summary.
- No warm-up ("Great question", "Let me explain"), no wrap-up ("Hope this helps", "In summary"), no self-narration ("I'll now check...").
- Plain words over jargon. Say "runs slower" not "exhibits degraded throughput characteristics". If a technical term is the accurate word (a function name, a protocol, an error class), use it and move on.
- One idea per sentence. No sentence that only exists to introduce the next one.
- Yes/no questions start with yes or no, then the reason in the same breath if a reason is needed.
- Give the recommendation, not a menu of options, unless the user asked to choose.
- No filler structure: no headings for two sentences, no bullet list of one item, no table for a single value.
- Uncertainty is one clause, not a paragraph: "Probably X — I have not run it."
- Code speaks for itself. Show the snippet or command; skip the line-by-line retelling.

## Detail on request

Expand only when the user asks for a detailed report, a deep dive, a walkthrough, an explanation of why, or a document. Then write the full thing — depth is the point, and the rules above still ban filler.

Also expand without being asked when brevity would be wrong: a destructive action, a security or data-loss risk, or a mistaken premise in the question. Name the risk plainly, then answer.

## Examples

**Question:** Which port does the dev server use?
**Bad:** There are a few things to consider here. The dev server's port is configured in `vite.config.ts`, which reads from the environment... Therefore, the port is 5173.
**Good:** 5173.

**Question:** Should I index this column?
**Bad:** Indexing strategy depends on cardinality, write amplification, and query patterns. Let's walk through each.
**Good:** Yes — it is in every `WHERE` clause and the table is read-heavy.

**Question:** Did the migration work?
**Good:** No. It failed on the unique constraint for `users.email`; two rows share `a@b.com`.

## Always on

To apply this on every query without invoking the skill, install the bundled extension: `extensions/answer-plainly` (see its README).