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charter explain <RULE-ID> is the rule lookup command. It prints catalog metadata for a single rule: ID, name, category, severity, description, and docs URL. Use it when you already have a rule ID from a scan result and want the fastest CLI explanation.

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Usage

charter explain AE-CTX-001
charter explain output showing rule metadata

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Example Output

Rule:        AE-CTX-001
Name:        AgentContextFilePresent
Category:    Context
Severity:    Blocker
Description: Agent context file must exist, be meaningful, and fit budget.
Docs:        https://use-charter.dev/rules/AE-CTX-001

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Flags

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--format
text | json
Output format. Defaults to text.

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Exit Codes

CodeMeaning
0Rule found and rendered successfully
2Unknown rule ID, invalid --format, or other usage error
Every rule reference page on this site corresponds to charter explain <RULE-ID> — same data, richer presentation with full rationale, remediation guidance, and OWASP mapping.

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When to Use It

Use charter explain when you are already looking at a rule ID from:
  • charter doctor output
  • charter report findings
  • CI logs
  • a GitHub Code Scanning result
The command gives you the rule entry point immediately. Follow the linked docs URL for the full rationale and remediation guidance.