Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Diff Risk Explainer agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The Diff Risk Explainer is an agent skill that tells your AI agent to explain a small code change briefly and focus on what changed. It is aimed at developers who want a quick summary of a short pull request or edit, and at reviewers who want a fast overview before reading the diff line by line. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for it, and where it falls short.
Diff Risk Explainertopoteretes/cognee · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Get the diff-risk-explainer ZIP from this page.
- 2Unzip into a skills folder. Extract it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into your project's .claude/skills/ for one project.
- 3Or upload in the Claude apps. Go to Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the ZIP.
- 4Ask for a brief explanation. Request a short explanation of a small code diff in plain language.
- 5Check the summary. Compare the agent's explanation with the actual lines of the diff.
What is an agent skill and what does this one do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md instruction file. When the skill is loaded, the agent reads those instructions and follows them for matching requests. This skill is a minimal instruction file: its description says it is used to briefly explain small code diffs.
Its single rule is to explain what changed in the diff and keep the explanation short. It contains no extra rules, scripts, or tools, so the agent uses its general knowledge to describe the change.
- Output: a short explanation of what changed in a small diff
- Focus: what changed, not a full review
- Extras: none. No scripts, no tools, no checklist
Install the Diff Risk Explainer skill
You can install the skill in one of three places. Download the ZIP from this page first. The ZIP contains the skill folder with its SKILL.md file.
For a personal install, unzip the file into ~/.claude/skills/ so the diff-risk-explainer folder sits inside it. For a single project, unzip it into the project's .claude/skills/ folder instead. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
- Project only: unzip into your project's .claude/skills/
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the ZIP
How to trigger the skill with a natural request
Ask the agent in plain language to explain a small change. The skill's description mentions briefly explaining small code diffs, so requests that name a diff or a small change about what changed are the ones it fits.
Keep the request scoped to a small change. The skill is written for short diffs, so pasting or pointing at a very large change works against its purpose.
- Explain this small diff: what changed?
- Briefly explain what changed in this short pull request.
- Give me a quick summary of this code edit.
Examples of how it helps
A developer who has made a two-file fix can ask for a quick summary before opening the pull request, so the description they write matches the change. A reviewer with a short diff can read the agent's summary first, then check the details line by line.
The skill keeps the answer brief, so you get the gist quickly. It does not add depth on top of that.
- Summarise a small bug fix before writing the pull request description
- Get a quick overview of a short diff before a line-by-line read
- Check that a small edit does what you think it does at a high level
What it needs and what it does not do
The skill lists no requirements. It runs no scripts and uses no network access. Its only file is SKILL.md.
It gives no guidance on security or edge-case analysis, and it adds no checklist or verification steps. Do not rely on it for large or complex changes, where a short summary could miss important risks, or for formal code review or audit.
- Requires: nothing listed
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: no
- Files: SKILL.md only
Tips for getting useful summaries
Give the agent the exact diff or change you want explained, so it summarises the right thing. Read the summary against the code, because the skill relies on the agent's general knowledge rather than checks.
If the change touches security, data handling, or edge cases, ask for those explicitly in a separate request or review them yourself, since this skill does not cover them.
- Scope the request to one small change at a time
- Verify the summary against the actual lines
- Review security and edge cases separately
What people use it for
- Summarising a small bug fix before writing a pull request description
- Skimming a short code edit before reading it line by line
- Getting a one-paragraph overview of a two- or three-file change
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the diff-risk-explainer skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does the diff-risk-explainer skill need anything else installed?
The skill lists no requirements. It runs no scripts and uses no network access, and its only file is SKILL.md.
Is the diff-risk-explainer skill free?
The skill is licensed under Apache-2.0, as listed for the source repository topoteretes/cognee. This guide does not state any price beyond that licence information.
Can I use this skill for a formal code review or security audit?
No. The skill adds no checklist or verification steps and gives no guidance on security or edge-case analysis, so it is not suited to formal review or audit needs.
Why does the skill only explain small diffs?
Its instruction is to briefly explain small code diffs and keep the explanation short. For large or complex changes, a short summary could miss important risks.
What else can I use instead for detailed review?
For detailed or security-focused review, use a review process or tool that includes checks for security and edge cases. This source does not name specific alternatives, so none are recommended here.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you want a quick, short explanation of a small code change, either as a developer summarising your own edit or a reviewer skimming a short diff. Pick something else for large or risky changes, security work, or formal code review, because this skill is a single brief instruction with no checks.
Download the skill