v1truv1us Default output: return only the result, blockers, and required evidence. Omit preambles, process narration, repeated context, confidence scores, and follow-up offers. Use at most five bullets unless a required artifact or schema needs more.
Source-Driven Development
Overview
Verify every framework or library decision against official documentation before implementing. Flag any decision that lacks a source. This skill prevents the agent from relying on outdated patterns, hallucinated APIs, or assumptions about library behavior.
When to Use
- Working with a framework or library you have not used recently
- When API surface area is large or frequently changing
- When the cost of a wrong assumption is high (auth, data, security)
- When documentation lookup tools are available
Process
Step 1: Identify Framework Decisions
Before writing code that depends on a library:
- List every API call, configuration option, or pattern you plan to use
- Note which ones you are confident about and which are assumptions
Step 2: Verify Against Official Sources
For each decision:
- Look up the current documentation
- Confirm the API exists and behaves as expected
- Note the version the docs target
- If you cannot find a source, flag it explicitly
Step 3: Cite Sources
In comments or design docs:
- Reference the official doc URL or section
- Note the library version
- Flag anything that could not be verified
Step 4: Flag Unverified Decisions
Explicitly mark decisions that lack source confirmation:
// UNVERIFIED: assuming X based on Y pattern- These flags must be resolved before production use
Source Quality Hierarchy
- Official documentation (highest)
- Official examples and repositories
- Well-maintained community guides with dates
- Stack Overflow with accepted answers and recent dates
- AI-generated suggestions (lowest, must be verified)
Common Rationalizations
| Rationalization | Reality |
|---|---|
| "I know this library well enough" | Libraries change between versions. Confidence is not accuracy. |
| "Looking up docs slows me down" | Debugging a wrong assumption is slower than verifying upfront. |
| "The AI already knows the right API" | AI training data has a cutoff date. APIs change. |
Verification
- Every framework API call is verified against current docs
- Unverified decisions are explicitly flagged
- Library versions are documented
- No code depends on hallucinated or outdated API behavior
Anti-Rationalization Table
| Excuse | Counter |
|---|---|
| "I know this library well enough" | Libraries change between versions. Confidence is not accuracy. |
| "Looking up docs slows me down" | Debugging a wrong assumption is slower than verifying upfront. |
| "The AI already knows the right API" | AI training data has a cutoff date. APIs change. Verify against current docs. |
| "I'll verify after the implementation works" | If the API does not exist, the implementation will not work. Verify first. |
| "Stack Overflow has the answer" | Stack Overflow answers may be outdated. Official docs are the source of truth. |