# Gate Check

> Run the correct CHG approval gate for a change - select the gate by affected layers, run its checks against the error catalog, and prepare the gate approval form for human sign-off. Use when changing an existing SDD artifact via the CHG process.

- Skill: `vladm3105/gate-check` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add vladm3105/gate-check`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/vladm3105/gate-check/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: vladm3105 (https://skillmd.com/u/vladm3105)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/vladm3105/gate-check

---


# gate-check

## Purpose

Run the correct **CHG approval gate** for a change to an existing SDD artifact:
determine the affected layers, select the matching gate, run that gate's
checks against the gate error catalog, produce a pass/fail gate report, and
prepare the `GATE_APPROVAL_FORM` for the approver. It is the verification
companion to the `../doc-chg/SKILL.md` family, which authors the CHG record.

**CRITICAL — authority boundary:** this skill **prepares and verifies**; it is
**never the approving authority**. It records check results and fills the
approval form, but a **human grants approval** by signing per the change
level's approval matrix. The skill must not mark a change "approved".

**Layer**: cross-cutting governance utility (CHG overlay, not a lifecycle layer).

## When to Use

Use `gate-check` when:

- Modifying an existing SDD artifact through the CHG process (C2/C3 changes).
- Verifying a change to the `framework/` spec itself — run **GATE-SPEC**.
- Verifying a change's gate checks before requesting human sign-off.
- Preparing the gate approval form for a change.

Do **not** use it for:

- C1 changes (typo/formatting) — no gate applies; fix and commit.
- Creating fresh artifacts in a clean flow — use the layer skills and
  `../doc-validator/SKILL.md`.
- Authoring the CHG record itself — use `../doc-chg/SKILL.md`.

## Behavior

The framework ships no runtime code — **this skill is the gate runner**,
applying the declarative gate definitions against the change.

### 1. Determine affected layers

From the CHG record (or the change under review), list every layer the change
touches. A change may enter at one gate and cascade downstream.

### 2. Select the gate (by affected layers)

| Affected layers | Artifacts | Gate |
|-----------------|-----------|------|
| L1-L2 | BRD, PRD | GATE-01 |
| L3-L5 | EARS, BDD, ADR | GATE-03 |
| L6-L7 | SPEC, TDD | GATE-06 |
| L8 | IPLAN | GATE-08 |
| Code | Source code | GATE-CODE |
| — (target = the `framework/` spec) | templates / governance / registry / VERSION | **GATE-SPEC** |

A change entering upstream cascades to each downstream gate in sequence
(GATE-01 → GATE-03 → GATE-06 → GATE-08 → GATE-CODE); run every gate its layers
span. Source-to-entry routing (Upstream/External → GATE-01, Midstream →
GATE-03, Design → GATE-06, Execution → GATE-08, Feedback → GATE-CODE) is in
`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/framework/governance/chg/README.md`.

**GATE-SPEC is selected by *target*, not by layer.** If the change edits the
`framework/` spec itself (`change_source: spec`), it is a meta change — run
**GATE-SPEC** alone (`gates/GATE-SPEC_FRAMEWORK.md`); it does **not** cascade into
the artifact gates. A change to an engine's own authoring guidance or runtime is
not a spec change and does not enter GATE-SPEC.

### 3. Run the gate's checks

For each selected gate, run its **entry criteria**, **blocking error checks
(E)**, and **warning checks (W)** from that gate's definition file, applying the
codes from `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/framework/governance/chg/gates/GATE_ERROR_CATALOG.md`. Examples:
GATE-03 verifies EARS/BDD/ADR upstream-tag counts and syntax; GATE-06 verifies
SPEC TDD-Ready ≥ 90% and SPEC↔TDD coverage; GATE-CODE requires a root-cause
analysis. Also apply cross-gate ROUTE-E*checks (no skipped gate, correct
entry per source) and VAL-E* schema checks.

For **GATE-SPEC**, run the **record-level** checks you can verify from the CHG
record — `GATE-SPEC-E001` (provenance: `why`/`trigger`), `E002` (`semver_impact`
set; `major` ⇒ C3), `E003` (never C1, ≥ C2), `E004` (C3 ⇒ `gate_approval` gate +
approver). Report the **CI-enforced** checks `E005`–`E008` (VERSION bump, both
`FRAMEWORK_SPEC_VERSION` match, conformance green, CHANGELOG updated) as items
the pipeline verifies — note them in the report; do not fake their pass. The
human approval (E004's sign-off) is the platform's protected-branch review.

### 4. Produce the gate report

Emit a pass/fail report per gate: each E-check (pass/fail) with its code, each
W-check (addressed/not), and a gate result of **PASS / PASS WITH WARNINGS /
FAIL**. Any failing E-check means the gate **fails** — list the codes and the
catalog resolution for each. Do not soften a failing check.

### 5. Prepare the approval form

Populate `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/framework/governance/chg/templates/GATE_APPROVAL_FORM.md` from the
report: change summary, scope (layers/artifacts), per-gate validation results,
risk and rollback sections, and the required-approver rows for the change
level. Leave **all signature, decision, and final-approval fields blank** for
the human approver — the skill never fills them.

**Exit:** all E-checks pass and the form is ready for the approvers named in
the change level's matrix. The change proceeds only after a human signs.

## Related Resources

- CHG overview & source routing: `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/framework/governance/chg/README.md`
- Gate definitions: `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/framework/governance/chg/gates/GATE-01_BUSINESS_PRODUCT.md`
  · `GATE-03_REQUIREMENTS_ARCHITECTURE.md` · `GATE-06_DESIGN_TEST.md` ·
  `GATE-08_IPLAN.md` · `GATE-CODE_IMPLEMENTATION.md` ·
  `GATE-SPEC_FRAMEWORK.md` (framework-spec change — meta)
- Error codes: `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/framework/governance/chg/gates/GATE_ERROR_CATALOG.md`
- Approval form: `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/framework/governance/chg/templates/GATE_APPROVAL_FORM.md`
- CHG authoring: `../doc-chg/SKILL.md`
- Traceability after a change: `../doc-validator/SKILL.md`