Create a verification skill
Every serious project needs a scripted way to drive the real app and
prove behavior. This skill generates that as a project-local skill
tailored to the repo.
Companion to verification-before-completion, which is the completion
gate. This skill authors the project harness that gate can run.
Authorized Scope
Apply this engine only within the user's requested task and existing explicit
authorization. Loading or delegating to it grants no additional authority.
Preserve report-only restrictions and the caller's target, host, provider, and
cost limits. Existing approval satisfies a gate only for the same actions and
scope; obtain approval before expanding them. Forward these limits to delegates.
Contract
Inputs:
- A repo that can build and start locally
Outputs:
- A project-local
verify-<app> skill with a feature map, proven once
end to end
Creates/Modifies:
.agents/skills/verify-<app>/ when that layout exists, otherwise
skills/verify-<app>/
External Side Effects:
- Starts and tears down local app instances during the proof pass
Confirmation Required:
- Before writing the skill into the project tree
Delegates To:
- Named:
maintain-verification-skill for later upkeep
verification-before-completion for the completion gate itself
Steps
- Interview the repo, not the user. Answer surface, run, drive,
observe, and isolate from the codebase. Ask only what you cannot
observe. If the checkout does not start, fix or report that first.
- Generate the skill with frontmatter (
name: verify-<app>) and
sections: Launch, Doctor, Drive, Evidence, Cleanup, Helpers. No
placeholders left. Prefer existing harnesses
(Playwright, expect, PTY, HTTP) over generic recipes.
- Seed the feature map. Write
features/README.md plus one file
per top user-facing feature (aim for 3-5). Follow
references/feature-map-example.md.
- Prove it. Run launch, doctor, drive ONE mapped feature, capture
evidence, clean up. After cleanup, confirm the evidence still
exists. A skill that was never executed is a draft.
- Offer the maintenance loop. Point at
maintain-verification-skill.
Create Verification Skill procedure
Read create-verification-skill procedure when running this workflow.
Apply the authorized scope and mode of this entry point to every step.
Resolve other skills through this distribution’s active catalog; resolve
resources relative to the installed skill directory.
1---2name: create-verification-skill3description: Generate a project-local verification skill that drives the app the way a user does. Use for create-verification-skill, make a verify skill for this repo, or when a project has no scripted way to prove UI, CLI, or service behavior.4license: MIT5---6
7# Create a verification skill
8
9Every serious project needs a scripted way to drive the real app and
10prove behavior. This skill generates that as a project-local skill
11tailored to the repo.
12
13Companion to `verification-before-completion`, which is the completion
14gate. This skill authors the project harness that gate can run.
15
16## Authorized Scope
17
18Apply this engine only within the user's requested task and existing explicit
19authorization. Loading or delegating to it grants no additional authority.
20Preserve report-only restrictions and the caller's target, host, provider, and
21cost limits. Existing approval satisfies a gate only for the same actions and
22scope; obtain approval before expanding them. Forward these limits to delegates.
23
24## Contract
25
26Inputs:
27
28- A repo that can build and start locally
29
30Outputs:
31
32- A project-local `verify-<app>` skill with a feature map, proven once
33 end to end
34
35Creates/Modifies:
36
37- `.agents/skills/verify-<app>/` when that layout exists, otherwise
38 `skills/verify-<app>/`
39
40External Side Effects:
41
42- Starts and tears down local app instances during the proof pass
43
44Confirmation Required:
45
46- Before writing the skill into the project tree
47
48Delegates To:
49
50- Named: `maintain-verification-skill` for later upkeep
51- `verification-before-completion` for the completion gate itself
52
53## Steps
54
551. **Interview the repo, not the user.** Answer surface, run, drive,
56 observe, and isolate from the codebase. Ask only what you cannot
57 observe. If the checkout does not start, fix or report that first.
582. **Generate the skill** with frontmatter (`name: verify-<app>`) and
59 sections: Launch, Doctor, Drive, Evidence, Cleanup, Helpers. No
60 placeholders left. Prefer existing harnesses
61 (Playwright, expect, PTY, HTTP) over generic recipes.
623. **Seed the feature map.** Write `features/README.md` plus one file
63 per top user-facing feature (aim for 3-5). Follow
64 [references/feature-map-example.md](references/feature-map-example.md).
654. **Prove it.** Run launch, doctor, drive ONE mapped feature, capture
66 evidence, clean up. After cleanup, confirm the evidence still
67 exists. A skill that was never executed is a draft.
685. **Offer the maintenance loop.** Point at
69 `maintain-verification-skill`.
70
71## Create Verification Skill procedure
72
73Read [create-verification-skill procedure](references/create-verification-skill-procedure.md) when running this workflow.
74Apply the authorized scope and mode of this entry point to every step.
75Resolve other skills through this distribution’s active catalog; resolve
76resources relative to the installed skill directory.