AvinashP Verification Before Completion
Evidence before claims, always.
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:
1. IDENTIFY: What command proves this claim?
2. RUN: Execute the FULL command (fresh, complete)
3. READ: Full output, check exit code
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
What Requires Verification
| Claim | Requires | Not Sufficient |
|---|---|---|
| "Tests pass" | Test command output: 0 failures | Previous run, "should pass" |
| "Linter clean" | Linter output: 0 errors | Partial check |
| "Build succeeds" | Build command: exit 0 | Linter passing |
| "Bug fixed" | Test original symptom: passes | Code changed |
| "Feature complete" | Requirements checklist verified | Tests passing |
Red Flags - STOP
If you catch yourself:
- Using "should", "probably", "seems to"
- About to say "Done!" before verification
- About to commit/push/PR without running tests
- Relying on partial verification
- Thinking "just this once"
STOP. Run the verification command.
Common Rationalizations
| Excuse | Reality |
|---|---|
| "Should work now" | RUN the verification |
| "I'm confident" | Confidence ≠ evidence |
| "Just this once" | No exceptions |
| "Linter passed" | Linter ≠ tests |
| "I'm tired" | Exhaustion ≠ excuse |
| "Partial check is enough" | Partial proves nothing |
Correct Patterns
Tests:
Run test command → See: 34/34 pass → "All tests pass"
NOT: "Should pass now" / "Looks correct"
Build:
Run build → See: exit 0 → "Build passes"
NOT: "Linter passed" (linter doesn't check compilation)
Bug fix:
Reproduce bug → Apply fix → Test → Bug no longer occurs → "Fixed"
NOT: "Changed the code, should be fixed"
Requirements:
Re-read requirements → Check each → Report gaps or completion
NOT: "Tests pass, must be done"
Verification Commands
# JavaScript/TypeScript
npm test # Run all tests
npm run build # Verify build
npm run lint # Check linting
# Python
pytest # Run all tests
python -m mypy . # Type checking
python -m build # Verify build
# Go
go test ./... # Run all tests
go build ./... # Verify build
# General
echo $? # Check last exit code (0 = success)
When to Apply
ALWAYS before:
- Saying work is complete
- Committing code
- Creating pull requests
- Moving to next task
- Claiming a bug is fixed
- Reporting feature is done
The Bottom Line
No shortcuts for verification.
Run the command. Read the output. THEN claim the result.
This is non-negotiable.