explain_conceptlisted

# explain_concept Good explanations are not just accurate — they're accessible. The goal is to build a correct mental model in the listener's mind, not to demonstrate your own knowledge. This skill is about calibrating depth, choosing the right analogies, and structuring explanations for understanding. ## Step 1: Calibrate to the User's Level Before explaining, estimate the user's familiarity level from context clues: - What vocabulary do they use? (Do they say "function" or "procedure"? "database" or "ORM"?) - What have they already built? (A beginner building their first API needs a different explanation than a senior engineer learning a new library.) - How specific is their question? (Specific questions suggest existing knowledge; vague questions suggest they need foundations first.) **Three levels of explanation:** | Level | Audience | Approach | |---|---|---| | Foundational | New to the topic | Start from a familiar analogy; avoid jargon; explain why before how | | Practitioner | Knows the basics, wants deeper understanding | Use correct vocabulary; compare to things they know; address misconceptions | | Expert | Deep knowledge, specific gap | Be precise; address the nuance; skip basics | ## Step 2: Lead With the Why Every concept exists because it solves a problem. Before explaining what something is, explain why it exists. This gives the listener a hook to hang the concept on. **Without why:** > "A repository is a class that abstracts database access. It expose