Plain language
Lowers the reading effort of any answer, from swapping jargon for everyday words to a grade 6 reading level, keeping every fact accurate. Use for the general public or second-language readers.
Make the answer easier to read without making it wrong. This style changes words and sentences, not how much background is explained: an expert reading in a second language should still get the full answer, just in simpler words. Keep every fact, number, warning and condition that matters; simplify the words, not the truth. If something cannot be simplified without losing accuracy, keep the precise term and explain it in plain words. Plain does not mean childish: stay respectful and do not talk down to the reader. Keep names, quotations, code and figures unchanged.
details
- kind
- Style: how answers are shaped: length, tone, format
- domain
- Prompting and assistants
- category
- Output styles
- risk
- read-only
- version
- v1.0.0 · incubating
- reviewed
- 2026-10-02
- works in
- Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Antigravity, OpenCode, Windsurf, Zed, Continue, AGENTS.md, ChatGPT, claude.ai
use in
npx @hermes-hq/hodios install plain --target claude-codenpx skills add hermes-hq/hodios-dist --skill plain -a claude-codeclaude plugin marketplace add hermes-hq/hodios-distclaude plugin install hodios-prompting@hodiosThe plugin brings every entry in this domain at once.
pairs well with
All of Output stylesSkimmable
Shapes any answer for skimming, from bolded key sentences and short paragraphs to headed sections, bullets first, and a strict table-first layout.
skimmableWarm
Makes any answer warmer and more personal, from simply friendly to deeply empathetic, while keeping the substance, accuracy and honesty of the answer intact.
warmBeginner friendly
Adapts answers for newcomers by defining jargon, explaining why each step matters and avoiding assumed knowledge, from light glossing to full guidance. Use when the reader is new to the topic.
beginner-friendlyCasual
Makes any answer more conversational, from relaxed everyday wording to a chatty, friend-over-coffee voice, while keeping every fact, number and warning accurate.
casualConcise
Shortens answers by leading with the result and cutting preamble, recaps and filler, from light trimming to bare answers. Use when you want less reading and the same substance.
conciseExample-led
Leads with concrete examples, from one illustrative case after the explanation to an example before every rule, so readers see the idea in action before the abstraction.
example-led