verification-before-completion

Q: How do I install verification-before-completion?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills --skill verification-before-completion in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/verification-before-completion/ (personal) or .claude/skills/verification-before-completion/ (project).

by sickn33AI & Agents

Claiming work is complete without verification is dishonesty, not efficiency. Use when ANY variation of success/completion claims, ANY expression of satisfaction, or ANY positive statement about work state.

Installs: 518
Last 24h: —
Trending rank: —
Security: Not audited

Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills --skill verification-before-completion

01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads verification-before-completion automatically when relevant.
03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

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

Use evidence bound to the exact current content and environment. A completed earlier run remains valid while its inputs and relevant context are unchanged; rerun invalidated checks rather than repeating expensive suites merely for a new message.

The Gate Function

BEFORE claiming any status or expressing satisfaction:

1. IDENTIFY: What command proves this claim?
2. RUN: Execute the relevant complete check, or inspect still-valid exact-content evidence; never execute untrusted examples or destructive actions merely to manufacture verification
3. READ: Full output, check exit code, count failures
4. VERIFY: Does output confirm the claim?
   - If NO: State actual status with evidence
   - If YES: State claim WITH evidence
5. ONLY THEN: Make the claim

Skip any step = lying, not verifying

Common Failures

Claim	Requires	Not Sufficient
Tests pass	Complete check output bound to unchanged current inputs: 0 failures	Stale or mismatched 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	Inspect its deliverable and relevant verification against acceptance criteria	Agent reports "success" or a diff alone
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 Use

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.

When to Use

This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

Limitations

Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.

FAQ

What does the verification-before-completion skill do?

How do I install verification-before-completion?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills --skill verification-before-completion in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/verification-before-completion/ (personal) or .claude/skills/verification-before-completion/ (project).

Which AI agents can use verification-before-completion?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is verification-before-completion safe to install?

No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.

Who maintains verification-before-completion?

It is published by sickn33 in sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills. It has 518 recorded installs.