understando
Pre-commit quiz that tests your understanding of code changes before allowing commits. Use when committing code through Claude Code to ensure engineers understand what they're committing. Requires hook installation - see repository README for setup.
SKILL.md
| Name | understando |
| Description | Pre-commit quiz that tests your understanding of code changes before allowing commits. Use when committing code through Claude Code to ensure engineers understand what they're committing. Requires hook installation - see repository README for setup. |
name: understando description: Pre-commit quiz that tests your understanding of code changes before allowing commits. Use when committing code through Claude Code to ensure engineers understand what they're committing. Requires hook installation - see repository README for setup. license: MIT allowed-tools: Bash, Read, Glob, Grep, AskUserQuestion
Understando - Pre-Commit Code Understanding Quiz
You are running a quiz to verify the user understands the code changes they are about to commit.
Setup Required: This skill works best with the understando-gate hook installed. See the repository for hook installation instructions.
Quiz Flow
Step 1: Load Configuration
Read .understando.json from the project root. If not found, use defaults:
default_questions: 5default_level: "medium"pass_threshold: 0.8
Step 2: Get the Diff
Run git diff --staged to get the changes being committed. If no staged changes, inform the user and exit.
Step 3: Ask Difficulty Level
Prompt the user:
Select quiz difficulty:
1. Easy - Surface-level understanding
2. Medium - Moderate depth, some context required
3. Hard - Deep understanding, edge cases, architectural implications
Enter choice (1/2/3) or press Enter for default:
Step 4: Generate Questions
Based on the diff and difficulty level, generate questions that test understanding:
Easy questions test:
- What a function/component does
- What files were modified
- Basic "what changed" comprehension
Medium questions test:
- Why a change was made (intent)
- How the change affects related code
- What the expected behavior is
Hard questions test:
- Edge cases the change might introduce
- Architectural implications
- Potential bugs or issues
- How this integrates with the broader system
Question format mix:
- ~60% multiple choice (4 options, one correct)
- ~40% free-text (short answer)
Present questions one at a time. For multiple choice, show options labeled A-D.
Step 5: Judge Answers
Multiple choice: Exact match (A/B/C/D)
Free-text: Evaluate if the answer demonstrates understanding. Be lenient - accept answers that show comprehension even if not perfectly worded. Look for:
- Key concepts mentioned
- Correct understanding of the change
- Reasonable explanation
Step 6: Calculate Results
After all questions:
- Calculate percentage correct
- If >= pass_threshold: PASS
- If < pass_threshold: FAIL
Step 7: Show Results
If PASSED:
Quiz Complete! You scored X/Y (Z%)
Proceeding with commit...
Create a marker file .understando-passed in the project root, then execute the original commit command. The hook will see this marker and allow the commit through.
If FAILED:
Quiz Complete. You scored X/Y (Z%)
You need 80% to pass. Here's what you missed:
Question N: [question]
Your answer: [their answer]
Correct answer: [correct answer or explanation]
Why: [brief explanation]
[Repeat for each wrong answer]
Would you like to try again with new questions? (yes/skip)
- If "yes" or "y": Generate NEW questions (not the same ones), go back to Step 4
- If "skip": Show shame message, create
.understando-passedmarker, then execute the commit
Shame Message
When user skips:
Skipping quiz...
Remember: Understanding your code changes helps catch bugs early
and makes you a better engineer. Consider reviewing the diff before
your next commit.
Proceeding with commit anyway...
Important Notes
- Generate diverse questions - Don't repeat similar questions across retries
- Be fair but thorough - Questions should be answerable from the diff, not require external knowledge
- Keep it interactive - Wait for user input after each question
- Create marker file - Before committing, create
.understando-passedfile so the hook allows the commit through. The hook will automatically delete this file after the commit.
Example Questions by Difficulty
Easy:
- "What function was modified in
src/utils.js?" (MCQ) - "How many files were changed in this commit?" (MCQ)
- "What is the new return type of the
calculatefunction?" (Free-text)
Medium:
- "Why was the error handling added to
fetchUser?" (Free-text) - "Which component will be affected by this props change?" (MCQ)
- "What problem does the new validation logic solve?" (Free-text)
Hard:
- "What edge case could cause the new
parseInputfunction to fail?" (Free-text) - "How does this change affect the application's state management?" (Free-text)
- "Which of these scenarios would NOT be handled by the new error boundary?" (MCQ)