bestagentkits Skill Tester
Tier: POWERFUL · Category: Engineering Quality Assurance · Dependencies: None (Python stdlib only)
Meta-skill that validates, tests, and scores skills in this repository. Four tools, run from the repo root with full paths:
scripts/skill_validator.py— structure + documentation compliancescripts/script_tester.py— Python script syntax/imports/runtime/output testingscripts/quality_scorer.py— multi-dimensional scoring with letter gradescripts/security_scorer.py— security posture scoring (also available viaquality_scorer.py --include-security)
Scope note: this skill's tier line-count minimums measure legacy skills. For authoring new skills,
engineering/write-a-skill(SKILL.md under ~100 lines, Matt Pocock doctrine) is the binding standard — do not pad a new skill to satisfy a tier minimum here.
Quick Start (exact, runnable from repo root)
# 1. Validate structure (exit non-zero on failure — usable as a gate)
python3 engineering/skills/skill-tester/scripts/skill_validator.py engineering/skills/self-eval --json
# 2. Test the skill's Python scripts (30s default timeout per script)
python3 engineering/skills/skill-tester/scripts/script_tester.py engineering/skills/self-eval --json
# 3. Score quality (fail CI below threshold with --minimum-score)
python3 engineering/skills/skill-tester/scripts/quality_scorer.py engineering/skills/self-eval --json --detailed --minimum-score 75
Consume the JSON: validator emits overall_score, compliance_level, per-check checks{}; scorer emits overall_score, letter_grade, tier_recommendation, dimensions, and an improvement_roadmap — work the roadmap top-down, then re-run until the target score is met.
For repo-wide auditing prefer scripts/audit_skills.py at the repo root (wraps the write-a-skill checklist runner across all skills).
What Each Tool Checks
skill_validator.py
- SKILL.md frontmatter parsing, required sections, minimum line counts per tier (
--tier BASIC|STANDARD|POWERFUL) - Required structure: SKILL.md, README.md, scripts/, references/, assets/, expected_outputs/
- Python scripts: argparse present, stdlib-only imports
script_tester.py
- AST-based syntax validation; import analysis (flags external dependencies)
- Controlled execution with timeout protection (
--timeout, default 30s) --helpfunctionality verification; sample-data runs compared against expected_outputs/
quality_scorer.py
Four dimensions, 25% each: Documentation (depth, examples, references), Code Quality (complexity, error handling, output consistency), Completeness (required dirs, sample data, expected outputs), Usability (help text, example clarity). Outputs 0-100 + A-F grade + tier recommendation.
Tier Classification
| Tier | SKILL.md | Scripts | CLI surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| BASIC | ≥ 100 lines | 1 (100-300 LOC) | basic argparse |
| STANDARD | ≥ 200 lines | 1-2 (300-500 LOC) | subcommands, JSON + text output |
| POWERFUL | ≥ 300 lines | 2-3 (500-800 LOC) | multiple modes, CI integration |
(Advisory for legacy skills; new skills follow write-a-skill — see scope note above.)
CI Integration
# GitHub Actions: gate changed skills
- name: "validate-changed-skills"
run: |
for skill in $changed_skills; do
python3 engineering/skills/skill-tester/scripts/skill_validator.py "$skill" --json
python3 engineering/skills/skill-tester/scripts/script_tester.py "$skill"
python3 engineering/skills/skill-tester/scripts/quality_scorer.py "$skill" --minimum-score 75
done
Pre-commit hook: run the validator on the staged skill directory and block the commit on non-zero exit.
Verification Loop
A skill "passes" when, in one run from repo root:
skill_validator.py <skill> --jsonexits 0,script_tester.py <skill>reports all scripts passing, andquality_scorer.py <skill> --minimum-score <target>exits 0.
If any step fails, apply the top improvement_roadmap item and re-run all three — never report a partial pass.
Troubleshooting
- Timeout errors → raise
--timeoutor optimize the script under test - Import failures → external deps detected; stdlib-only is the repo policy
- Tier misclassification → check line counts/LOC against the tier table; remember the write-a-skill exception for new skills
References: references/ holds the structure specification, tier requirements matrix, and scoring rubric the tools implement.