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Whatis

Community
suyuan2022
whatis

What Is This — explain anything as a picture-first HTML page. Use when the user types /whatis <topic>, or asks what something is / how it works and would be better served by big diagrams than by paragraphs.

Overview

Publishersuyuan2022
Repositorysuyuan-skill
Skill namewhatis
Stars
415
Forks
40
Bundled files
Instructions only
LicenseMIT
Links
  • Markdown instructions

    A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.

  • Works with any LLM

    AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.

  • Self-contained

    Everything the model needs lives in the instructions — no extra files to sync.

  • Open source

    Published by suyuan2022 on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Whatis AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

1

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

  1. Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
  2. Choose "Install from GitHub".
  3. Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
    https://github.com/suyuan2022/suyuan-skill/tree/main/whatis
  4. Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.
Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.
2

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/suyuan2022/suyuan-skill.git /tmp/suyuan-skill
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/suyuan-skill/whatis .claude/skills/whatis
Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Whatis in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Whatis on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Whatis is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

  • Loaded only when it is needed

    The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.

  • Switch models mid-chat

    Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

whatis

Explain like I'm someone who knows nothing about this topic, using an HTML page with big pictures and few words.

No Artifact tool in this environment: write a self-contained HTML file (inline SVG/CSS, no external deps) to a temp directory (e.g. $TMPDIR or /tmp), then open it.

If the current context is not enough to explain the topic, gather enough context yourself before drawing. Every node in a diagram must be backed by evidence; never fabricate.

Draw real diagrams in SVG, freely picking and combining whatever fits: flowchart, sequence diagram, state diagram, architecture/block diagram, C4, dependency graph, call graph, ER diagram, class diagram, DFD, swimlane, deployment diagram, timeline, Gantt, git graph, before/after comparison, bar/line chart, treemap, heatmap... If none fits, design your own — expression comes before templates. Tables are for enumerations only and don't count as diagrams.

A diagram exists to make structure visible: who talks to whom, what causes what, what changes when. Draw each one in the shape the reader's eye already knows — boxes for parts, arrows for actions, lanes for actors, time flowing one way. Make each diagram read at two distances: at a glance only the backbone shows — a name per box, a verb per arrow, one path the eye can follow; the detail lives in a quieter layer of smaller, dimmer annotations that never competes with the backbone. Color like a print magazine: warm paper background, ink for text and lines, one muted accent doing all the pointing; status reads from marks and line weight, tinted from the same palette. One diagram, one point: when the content outgrows the shape, split it or summarize the tail — shrinking the type is never the answer. The test: someone who reads only the diagrams and captions still gets the whole story.

Give the page a wide content column with visible margins on both sides: diagrams span the column (each SVG gets a viewBox and width:100% so it scales with the window), prose sits in a narrower measure within it.

Match the user's language in the explanation. Keep technical terms, API names, CLI commands, and exact error strings verbatim in English.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Whatis AI skill do?

What Is This — explain anything as a picture-first HTML page. Use when the user types /whatis <topic>, or asks what something is / how it works and would be better served by big diagrams than by paragraphs.

Why use Whatis on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Whatis is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Whatis in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/suyuan2022/suyuan-skill/tree/main/whatis. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Whatis?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Whatis?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Whatis with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Whatis AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by suyuan2022 under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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