verification-before-completion

name	verification-before-completion
description	Use when claiming task completion or marking items as done. Covers completion evidence requirements, verification methods, and anti-rationalization patterns.
keywords	["completion","done","working","ready","verification","evidence","test-output","grep-verification","ci-cd","build-logs","git-diff","screenshot","should-work","probably-works","seems-to","rationalization","todo-complete"]
created	"2026-01-20T00:00:00.000Z"
updated	"2026-01-20T00:00:00.000Z"
plugin	dev
type	discipline
difficulty	beginner

Verification Before Completion

Iron Law: "NO COMPLETION CLAIMS WITHOUT FRESH VERIFICATION EVIDENCE"

When to Use

This skill applies whenever you:

• Mark a todo item as complete
• Claim a bug is fixed
• Report a feature is ready
• State implementation is done
• Close a task or issue
• Prepare to commit changes

Red Flags (Violation Indicators)

• "should be done" / "should work now" (assumed completion)
• "probably works" / "likely fixed" (uncertainty without verification)
• "seems to work" / "appears correct" (observation without test)
• "Great!" / "Perfect!" / "All set!" (celebration without evidence)
• "I already tested this earlier" (stale evidence)
• Completion claim without test output shown
• Completion claim without grep verification for file changes
• Completion claim without screenshot for UI changes
• Completion claim without git diff for code changes
• Completion claim without build logs for configuration changes
• Completion claim without CI link for deployment changes
• "Just a small change, no need to verify" (size-based rationalization)

Key Concepts

Fresh Verification Principle

Verification must be fresh (performed after the claimed change) and explicit (evidence shown, not described).

Wrong:

Fixed the login bug in auth.ts. Should be working now.

Correct:

Fixed the login bug in auth.ts line 42:

git diff src/auth.ts:
-  if (user.token == null) {
+  if (user.token === undefined || user.token === null) {

Test output:
✓ should reject undefined token (15ms)
✓ should reject null token (12ms)
✓ should accept valid token (8ms)

Evidence Types by Change Type