eli5 vs ShowMeStepByStep
eli5 is a plugin bundle for AI coding tools published by Thariq Shihipar. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Claude Code: claude-plugins-community). ShowMeStepByStep is an MCP server published by rt1966. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Official MCP Registry). As of our marketplace pass on 2026-10-18. This pair was picked by a reader, not by our comparison rule, so search engines are asked not to index the page.
Where each is published
| Marketplace |  ShowMeStepByStep | |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code: claude-plugins-community | Listed Version: 1.0.0 Forks (GitHub): 336 Stars (GitHub): 4 686 Not marked · First seen |
Not listed |
| Official MCP Registry | Not listed | Listed Version: 0.2.0 No figure published Not marked · First seen |
Each figure is the marketplace's own and is never added up across marketplaces. A marketplace that publishes no figure shows none: no number is not zero.
The facts side by side
| Fact | eli5 | ShowMeStepByStep |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces that list it | 1 | 1 |
| Stars (GitHub) (differs) | 4 686 | No figure on GitHub |
| Forks (GitHub) (differs) | 336 | No figure on GitHub |
| Last release (differs) | Not published | 2026-10-15 |
| Where it runs (differs) | Installs as a plugin bundle | Remote server (www.showmestepbystep.com/api/mcp) |
| Transport (differs) | Not stated | Streamable HTTP |
| Tools it declares | Not published | Not published |
| Environment variables it asks for | Not published | Not published |
| Parts of the bundle (differs) | 1 | Not a bundle |
| Licence (differs) | MIT | Not stated |
| Repository (differs) | github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community | github.com/rt1966/showmestepbystep |
| Changes in the last 7 days (differs) | 0 | 2 |
| First seen | 2026-10-11 | 2026-10-11 |
| Endpoint at the last check (differs) | no remote endpoint we check | Responded 31 h ago |
Lines where the two differ have a tinted background and bold values. Where the data itself says which value is better (more marketplaces, a larger figure of the same marketplace, a fresher release, a verified mark on a marketplace that lists both), the better one is also marked green with ▲ and the worse one red with ▼. Where it runs, the transport, the tools, the settings, hooks, the bundle's parts, the licence and the week's changes are marked only as different: more or fewer is not better in itself.
What each says it does
eli5
Explain any topic like I'm 5: a dead-simple HTML picture explainer with big visuals and few words. Use /eli5 <topic>.
ShowMeStepByStep
Search, browse, and cite 409 step-by-step how-to tutorials (steps, tools, video credit).
How to run each
eli5 As a Claude Code plugin
/plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-community
/plugin install eli5@claude-communityShowMeStepByStep As a remote MCP server
claude mcp add --transport http showmestepbystep https://www.showmestepbystep.com/api/mcpCommands built only from what the marketplaces declare; the full set for every client is on each card.
Only ShowMeStepByStep has a remote endpoint we check. How we check endpoints
Tools each declares
Neither the marketplaces of eli5 nor its endpoint list any tools, so we do not compare tools.
Settings each asks for
Neither one's marketplaces publish the settings it asks for.
What it can do: eli5 · What it can do: ShowMeStepByStep · Compare two other plugins
Data comes from the public marketplace file https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/HEAD/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json. Data comes from the Official MCP Registry (registry.modelcontextprotocol.io), CC0 1.0. Figures come from our own regular passes over the marketplaces, last read on . We publish no contact details for plugin publishers.