Verification Before Completion
This skill emphasizes the importance of verifying work before claiming completion. It provides a strict process involving identifying the verification comman...
Install
npx promptshop add verification-before-completionDetails
What This Skill Does
This skill emphasizes the importance of verifying work before claiming completion. It provides a strict process involving identifying the verification command, running it, reading the output, and verifying the results. It is useful for ensuring accuracy and preventing dishonesty in task completion.
When to Use
- Ensure tests pass before claiming success.
- Verify linter is clean before committing.
- Confirm build succeeds before deployment.
- Prove a bug is fixed before closing.
- Validate regression tests work.
- Confirm agent completed task successfully.
Key Features
- Enforces evidence-based claims.
- Provides a step-by-step verification process.
- Highlights common verification failures.
- Lists red flags indicating lack of verification.
- Addresses rationalizations for skipping verification.
- Emphasizes running fresh, complete verification commands.
## Overview
Claiming work is complete without verification is dishonesty, not efficiency.
Core principle: Evidence before claims, always.
Violating the letter of this rule is violating the spirit of this rule.
The Iron Law
NO COMPLETION CLAIMS WITHOUT FRESH VERIFICATION EVIDENCE
If you haven't run the verification command in this message, you cannot claim it passes.
The Gate Function
BEFORE claiming any status or expressing satisfaction:
IDENTIFY: What command proves this claim? RUN: Execute the FULL command (fresh, complete) READ: Full output, check exit code, count failures VERIFY: Does output confirm the claim?
- If NO: State actual status with evidence
- If YES: State claim WITH evidence ONLY THEN: Make the claim
Skip any step = lying, not verifying
Common Failures
| Claim | Requires | Not Sufficient |
|---|---|---|
| Tests pass | Test command output: 0 failures | Previous run, "should pass" |
| Linter clean | Linter output: 0 errors | Partial check, extrapolation |
| Build succeeds | Build command: exit 0 | Linter passing, logs look good |
| Bug fixed | Test original symptom: passes | Code changed, assumed fixed |
| Regression test works | Red-green cycle verified | Test passes once |
| Agent completed | VCS diff shows changes | Agent reports "success" |
| Requirements met | Line-by-line checklist | Tests passing |
Red Flags - STOP
Using "should", "probably", "seems to" Expressing satisfaction before verification ("Great!", "Perfect!", "Done!", etc.) About to commit/push/PR without verification Trusting agent success reports Relying on partial verification Thinking "just this once" Tired and wanting work over ANY wording implying success without having run verification
Rationalization Prevention
| Excuse | Reality |
|---|---|
| "Should work now" | RUN the verification |
| "I'm confident" | Confidence ≠ evidence |
| "Just this once" | No exceptions |
| "Linter passed" | Linter ≠ compiler |
| "Agent said success" | Verify independently |
| "I'm tired" | Exhaustion ≠ excuse |
| "Partial check is enough" | Partial proves nothing |
| "Different words so rule doesn't apply" | Spirit over letter |
Key Patterns
Tests: ✅ [Run test command] [See: 34/34 pass] "All tests pass" ❌ "Should pass now" / "Looks correct"
Regression tests (TDD Red-Green): ✅ Write → Run (pass) → Revert fix → Run (MUST FAIL) → Restore → Run (pass) ❌ "I've written a regression test" (without red-green verification)
Build: ✅ [Run build] [See: exit 0] "Build passes" ❌ "Linter passed" (linter doesn't check compilation)
Requirements: ✅ Re-read plan → Create checklist → Verify each → Report gaps or completion ❌ "Tests pass, phase complete"
Agent delegation: ✅ Agent reports success → Check VCS diff → Verify changes → Report actual state ❌ Trust agent report
Why This Matters
From 24 failure memories: your human partner said "I don't believe you" - trust broken Undefined functions shipped - would crash Missing requirements shipped - incomplete features Time wasted on false completion → redirect → rework Violates: "Honesty is a core value. If you lie, you'll be replaced."
When To Apply
ALWAYS before: ANY variation of success/completion claims ANY expression of satisfaction ANY positive statement about work state Committing, PR creation, task completion Moving to next task Delegating to agents
Rule applies to: Exact phrases Paraphrases and synonyms Implications of success ANY communication suggesting completion/correctness
The Bottom Line
No shortcuts for verification.
Run the command. Read the output. THEN claim the result.
This is non-negotiable.Verification Before Completion
Overview
Claiming work is complete without verification is dishonesty, not efficiency.
Core principle: Evidence before claims, always.
Violating the letter of this rule is violating the spirit of this rule.
The Iron Law
NO COMPLETION CLAIMS WITHOUT FRESH VERIFICATION EVIDENCE
If you haven't run the verification command in this message, you cannot claim it passes.
The Gate Function
BEFORE claiming any status or expressing satisfaction:
IDENTIFY: What command proves this claim? RUN: Execute the FULL command (fresh, complete) READ: Full output, check exit code, count failures VERIFY: Does output confirm the claim?
- If NO: State actual status with evidence
- If YES: State claim WITH evidence ONLY THEN: Make the claim
Skip any step = lying, not verifying
Common Failures
| Claim | Requires | Not Sufficient |
|---|---|---|
| Tests pass | Test command output: 0 failures | Previous run, "should pass" |
| Linter clean | Linter output: 0 errors | Partial check, extrapolation |
| Build succeeds | Build command: exit 0 | Linter passing, logs look good |
| Bug fixed | Test original symptom: passes | Code changed, assumed fixed |
| Regression test works | Red-green cycle verified | Test passes once |
| Agent completed | VCS diff shows changes | Agent reports "success" |
| Requirements met | Line-by-line checklist | Tests passing |
Red Flags - STOP
Using "should", "probably", "seems to" Expressing satisfaction before verification ("Great!", "Perfect!", "Done!", etc.) About to commit/push/PR without verification Trusting agent success reports Relying on partial verification Thinking "just this once" Tired and wanting work over ANY wording implying success without having run verification
Rationalization Prevention
| Excuse | Reality |
|---|---|
| "Should work now" | RUN the verification |
| "I'm confident" | Confidence ≠ evidence |
| "Just this once" | No exceptions |
| "Linter passed" | Linter ≠ compiler |
| "Agent said success" | Verify independently |
| "I'm tired" | Exhaustion ≠ excuse |
| "Partial check is enough" | Partial proves nothing |
| "Different words so rule doesn't apply" | Spirit over letter |
Key Patterns
Tests: ✅ [Run test command] [See: 34/34 pass] "All tests pass" ❌ "Should pass now" / "Looks correct"
Regression tests (TDD Red-Green): ✅ Write → Run (pass) → Revert fix → Run (MUST FAIL) → Restore → Run (pass) ❌ "I've written a regression test" (without red-green verification)
Build: ✅ [Run build] [See: exit 0] "Build passes" ❌ "Linter passed" (linter doesn't check compilation)
Requirements: ✅ Re-read plan → Create checklist → Verify each → Report gaps or completion ❌ "Tests pass, phase complete"
Agent delegation: ✅ Agent reports success → Check VCS diff → Verify changes → Report actual state ❌ Trust agent report
Why This Matters
From 24 failure memories: your human partner said "I don't believe you" - trust broken Undefined functions shipped - would crash Missing requirements shipped - incomplete features Time wasted on false completion → redirect → rework Violates: "Honesty is a core value. If you lie, you'll be replaced."
When To Apply
ALWAYS before: ANY variation of success/completion claims ANY expression of satisfaction ANY