Open source · MIT · Claude Code and Codex
eStack, the AI operator stack
14 agent skills from explainx.ai. They teach you while the agent works, ship changes safely, and help people find what you built. These are the skills we use to run a learning platform for 350K+ students with AI agents.
Claude Code plugin
/plugin marketplace add whyashthakker/estack
/plugin install estack@estackSkills CLI
npx skills add whyashthakker/estackCopy the folders
git clone https://github.com/whyashthakker/estack
cp -R estack/skills/* ~/.claude/skills/Codex: copy the folders to ~/.codex/skills/ instead.
14 skills, three stages
Start with /estack. It reads your task and picks the skill. Skills call each other where it helps: premortem then ship, blog then social then short, explain then quiz-me.
Learn
You understand and own what the agent builds.
explain· Explains code, a concept, or what the agent just did, in layers that match your level.quiz-me· Turns the work just done into a 3 to 5 question quiz, so you can maintain it.catch-up· The AI news that matters to your project, each item with a "so what" and an action.pick-model· Picks the right model per task from live prices and shows the cost change.
Build
Changes land small, checked, and easy to undo.
premortem· Assumes the plan failed, finds the likely reasons, and turns the top risks into checks.ux-review· Reviews a flow from the user's side and rewrites the copy in plain words.verify-ui· Checks UI changes in a real browser at phone and desktop widths, light and dark.ship· Runs the checks, stages only this task's files, writes a short commit, and pushes when you agree.
Grow
People find what you built.
seo-geo· Makes a page rank in Google and get cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude.blog· Researches primary sources and writes an answer-first post with citations and links both ways.social· X posts, threads, and LinkedIn posts with a clear point of view, scored before you see them.short· Scripts for YouTube Shorts, Reels, and TikTok: hook, beats, first frame, and titles.
Any stage
Clear text everywhere.
ste100· Non-slop writing: ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English plus a check that removes stock AI phrasing.estack· The entry point. Reads your task and picks the right skill.
How eStack compares
gstack, pstack, and tstack make the coding agent a better engineer. eStack keeps the build part small and adds what they leave out: learning, and the work after the code.
| Stack | Focus | Size | Teaches you | Growth skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gstackGarry Tan | Claude as a full product and engineering team | 50+ commands | No | No |
| pstackLauren Tan (poteto) | Slow, rigorous engineering with playbooks | 34 skills, 24 principles | Partly (teach, how, why) | No |
| tstackTheo Browne | The pull request lifecycle, end to end | 9 skills | No | No |
| eStackexplainx.ai | Learn, build, and grow a product with agents | 14 skills | Yes | Yes |
All four are free and MIT-licensed. Counts as of November 1, 2026.
Live AI data, optional
catch-up and pick-model use the explainx.ai MCP server for current AI news, model prices, and trending topics. Without it they fall back to web search.
Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport http explainx https://mcp.explainx.ai/mcpLearn the workflows live
The skills are free. The judgment behind them is what we teach. Our live workshops cover agent workflows, skills, and shipping with Claude Code and Codex, with recordings for members.
Questions
What is eStack?
eStack is a free, MIT-licensed set of 14 agent skills from explainx.ai for Claude Code and Codex. It covers three stages: learning what the agent builds, shipping changes safely, and growing the product through search, blog posts, social posts, and short videos.
Is eStack free?
Yes. The skills are open source under the MIT license. The optional live data used by catch-up and pick-model comes from the explainx.ai MCP server, which you connect with your explainx.ai account.
How is eStack different from gstack, pstack, and tstack?
Those stacks make the coding agent a better engineer. eStack adds two things they do not cover: skills that teach you while the agent works (explain, quiz-me), and skills for the work after the code (seo-geo, blog, social, short).
Does eStack work with Codex?
Yes. Copy the skill folders into ~/.codex/skills/. Each skill is a plain SKILL.md file with no harness-specific code, so it also works in other agents that read the Agent Skills format.
Can I edit the skills?
Yes, and you should. Keep personal settings such as your voice, paths, and validation commands in CLAUDE.md or AGENTS.md, so you can update eStack without losing your changes.