Tool reference

AI Explainer

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Paste any code snippet and get a plain-English explanation from a free AI model. Select the language, add an optional focus prompt, and stream the explanation live.

Open tool Back to docs

Quickstart

Use this when you want the shortest path from input to a useful result.

Paste or type code into the editor on the left.

Select the language from the dropdown.

Optionally add a focus prompt (e.g., 'What does this function return?').

Click Explain and read the streamed explanation on the right.

Best for

Common situations where this tool fits naturally into the workflow.

Understand an unfamiliar codebase or library function without reading documentation.
Onboard a teammate by generating plain-English explanations for complex logic.
Get a quick review of a snippet before submitting a pull request.

Common tasks

Concrete ways this tool is typically used in day-to-day workflows.

Explain an unfamiliar function

Paste the function body, leave the focus prompt empty, and let the model describe what it does, its inputs, outputs, and side effects.

Focus on a specific concern

Add a focus prompt like 'Is this function safe from SQL injection?' or 'What edge cases does this miss?' to direct the explanation.

Switch models

Choose a different free model from the selector to compare explanations. The same code and focus prompt are reused.

Examples

Real inputs and outputs that show how the tool behaves.

Explain a Python function

Paste a function and get a plain-English walkthrough.

Code input

def binary_search(arr, target):
    lo, hi = 0, len(arr) - 1
    while lo <= hi:
        mid = (lo + hi) // 2
        if arr[mid] == target:
            return mid
        elif arr[mid] < target:
            lo = mid + 1
        else:
            hi = mid - 1
    return -1

Explanation

This function implements binary search on a sorted list. It maintains two pointers, lo and hi, and repeatedly checks the midpoint... (streamed live)

Features

What this tool includes and what each capability is for.

AI-Powered Explanation

Sends the code and an optional focus prompt to a free AI model and streams the plain-English explanation back.

Streaming Output

The explanation streams to the panel as it is generated so you do not wait for the full response.

Free Model Selection

Switch between curated free OpenRouter models without leaving the tool.

Copy Explanation

Copy the full explanation to clipboard for use in PRs, docs, or team channels.

Token Usage

Shows prompt and completion token counts after each explanation so you can track context usage.

Workflow

Follow this path to get from input to output quickly.

Paste the code you want explained into the Monaco editor.

Select the correct language from the language dropdown.

Optionally type a focus prompt to direct the explanation.

Click Explain and read the streamed response.

Copy the explanation or clear the panel to start a new request.

Caveats and tips

Things to keep in mind before relying on the output in a larger workflow.

Caveats

Free users are limited to 5 AI requests per day across AI Chat and Code Explainer combined. Resets at midnight.
Very large code blocks may hit the model's context limit. Trim to the relevant function or section.
Explanations are generated by AI and may occasionally be incomplete or misleading — always verify critical logic manually.

Tips

A focused prompt produces a sharper explanation than an open-ended one. Try 'What does the return value mean?' over 'Explain this.'
Select the correct language so the model receives accurate syntax hints.
Copy the explanation with the copy button to paste it into a PR comment, wiki, or Slack message.

def binary_search(arr, target): lo, hi = 0, len(arr) - 1 while lo <= hi: mid = (lo + hi) // 2 if arr[mid] == target: return mid elif arr[mid] < target: lo = mid + 1 else: hi = mid - 1 return -1