# Verification Before Completion

> Use when about to claim work is complete, fixed, or passing, before committing or creating PRs - requires running verification commands and confirming output before making any success claims; evidence before assertions always

- Skill: `venture-formations/verification-before-completion` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add venture-formations/verification-before-completion`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/venture-formations/verification-before-completion/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: venture-formations (https://skillmd.com/u/venture-formations)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/venture-formations/verification-before-completion

---


# 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.**

> **Project note:** This project's verification checklist is in CLAUDE.md section 17. At minimum, run `npm run build` and `npm run test:run` before claiming completion.

## 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 or expressing satisfaction:

1. IDENTIFY: What command proves this claim?
2. RUN: Execute the FULL command (fresh, complete)
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 | Test command output: 0 failures | Previous 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 | VCS diff shows changes | Agent reports "success" |
| 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"
- **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 |
| "Partial check is enough" | Partial proves nothing |

## Key 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)
```

**Requirements:**
```
Re-read plan -> Create checklist -> Verify each -> Report gaps or completion
NOT: "Tests pass, phase complete"
```

## The Bottom Line

**No shortcuts for verification.**

Run the command. Read the output. THEN claim the result.

This is non-negotiable.