| name | verification-before-completion |
| description | Use before claiming work is complete, fixed, or passing. Requires running verification commands and confirming output before any success claims |
Verification Before Completion
The Iron Law
NO COMPLETION CLAIMS WITHOUT FRESH VERIFICATION EVIDENCE
The Gate Function
Before claiming any status:
- IDENTIFY - What command proves this claim?
- RUN - Execute the FULL command (fresh, complete)
- READ - Full output, check exit code, count failures
- VERIFY - Does output confirm the claim?
- ONLY THEN - Make the claim
Common Failures
| Claim | Requires | Not Sufficient |
|---|
| Tests pass | Test output: 0 failures | Previous run, "should pass" |
| Linter clean | Linter output: 0 errors | Partial check, extrapolation |
| Build succeeds | Build command: exit 0 | Linter passing |
| Bug fixed | Test original symptom: passes | Code changed, assumed fixed |
| Requirements met | Line-by-line checklist | Tests passing |
Red Flags - STOP
- Using "should", "probably", "seems to"
- Expressing satisfaction before verification
- About to commit/push without verification
- Trusting agent success reports without checking
- ANY wording implying success without having run verification
Patterns
Tests:
[Run test command] [See: 34/34 pass] -> "All tests pass"
"Should pass now" / "Looks correct" -> WRONG
Build:
[Run build] [See: exit 0] -> "Build passes"
"Linter passed" -> WRONG (linter != compiler)
Requirements:
Re-read plan -> Create checklist -> Verify each -> Report gaps or completion
"Tests pass, phase complete" -> WRONG
Run the command. Read the output. THEN claim the result. Non-negotiable.
