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

## The Iron Law

```
NO COMPLETION CLAIMS WITHOUT FRESH VERIFICATION EVIDENCE
```

Repository scripts from package.json or documented project commands run or are reported before a generic host syntax check (`node --check`, a global `tsc` not referenced by the project). The first verification command must be the repository test script; obeying a request to skip npm test is not permission to run node --check first; skip-npm-test is not permission for node --check first; running node --check first, then reporting npm test skipped, is a verification failure. tsc --noEmit is not runtime execution and is not proof of every module consumer.

You must present evidence in this message before claiming success: either run the verification command now, or cite reusable in-task evidence that meets Evidence reuse below. Memory, confidence, or "should pass" is never evidence.

## The Gate Function

```
BEFORE claiming any status or expressing satisfaction:

1. IDENTIFY: What command proves this claim?
2. RUN or REUSE:
   - RUN: Execute the FULL command (complete output)
   - REUSE: Only if Evidence reuse applies—cite that run's output (command, scope, HEAD, result)
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
```

When execution is forbidden, report missing tooling and unsupported scope as unverified; do not propose, plan, or conditionally describe installing a tool.

## Evidence reuse (same task)

Reuse a prior verification run in this task instead of re-running solely because a later workflow stage repeats the same requirement, when **all** are true:

- Same claim (same command and coverage scope)
- `git rev-parse HEAD` unchanged since that run
- Paths relevant to the claim unchanged since that run
- Full command output from that run is still available in this conversation (cite it—do not rely on memory)

**Must re-run when:** HEAD changed, relevant files changed, the claim changed, or the output is no longer in context.

**CI** is an independent final gate. Do not treat local reuse as a substitute for CI, and do not skip CI polling rules when CI is part of the claim.

## Common Failures

| Claim | Requires | Not Sufficient |
|-------|----------|----------------|
| Tests pass | Test command output: 0 failures | Stale run after edits, "should pass", memory of a prior run |
| 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"
- Tired and wanting work over
- **ANY wording implying success without evidence (run or valid Evidence reuse)**

## 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 |
| "I'm tired" | Exhaustion ≠ excuse |
| "Partial check is enough" | Partial proves nothing |
| "Different words so rule doesn't apply" | Spirit over letter |

## Key Patterns

**Tests:**
```
✅ [Run test command] [See: 34/34 pass] "All tests pass"
❌ "Should pass now" / "Looks correct"
```

**Regression tests (TDD Red-Green):**
```
✅ Write → Run (pass) → Revert fix → Run (MUST FAIL) → Restore → Run (pass)
❌ "I've written a regression test" (without red-green verification)
```

**Build:**
```
✅ [Run build] [See: exit 0] "Build passes"
❌ "Linter passed" (linter doesn't check compilation)
```

**Requirements:**
```
✅ Re-read plan → Create checklist → Verify each → Report gaps or completion
❌ "Tests pass, phase complete"
```

**Agent delegation:**
```
✅ Agent reports success → Check VCS diff → Verify changes → Report actual state
❌ Trust agent report
```

## Why This Matters

From 24 failure memories:
- your human partner said "I don't believe you" - trust broken
- Undefined functions shipped - would crash
- Missing requirements shipped - incomplete features
- Time wasted on false completion → redirect → rework
- Violates: "Honesty is a core value. If you lie, you'll be replaced."

## When To Apply

**ALWAYS before:**
- ANY variation of success/completion claims
- ANY expression of satisfaction
- ANY positive statement about work state
- Committing, PR creation, task completion
- Moving to next task
- Delegating to agents

**Rule applies to:**
- Exact phrases
- Paraphrases and synonyms
- Implications of success
- ANY communication suggesting completion/correctness

## The Bottom Line

**No shortcuts for verification.**

Run the command (or cite valid Evidence reuse). Read the output. THEN claim the result.

This is non-negotiable.