verify-before-done

name	verify-before-done
description	Proves work with tests, diffs, and logs before sign-off.
tier	core
category	discipline
created_by	human
platforms	["windows","macos","linux"]
tags	["verification","testing","quality"]
author	Andreas Wasita (@andreaswasita)

Verify Before Done Skill

Refuses to mark a task complete without concrete evidence: green tests, reviewed diff, clean tree, and a recorded result block in tasks/todo.md. Does NOT replace scripts/verify.sh — it tells the agent when to run it and what to do with the output.

When to Use

• Before flipping any step in tasks/todo.md from - [ ] to - [x].
• Before opening a pull request.
• After any fix or feature implementation.
• Any time the agent is about to say "done" or "ready" without evidence.

Prerequisites

• A test runner installed for the stack (pytest, vitest, go test, etc.).
• scripts/verify.sh (or scripts/run-checks.ps1 on Windows) executable.
• The powershell tool to invoke runners and git.
• git available so diffs can be inspected.

How to Run

1. Run the project's test command via the `powershell` tool.
2. Run `bash scripts/verify.sh` (or `pwsh scripts/run-checks.ps1`) for the dojo gate.
3. Inspect the diff with `git diff main --stat` and `git diff main`.
4. Confirm the working tree is clean (`git status --porcelain`).
5. Append a Verification Results block to `tasks/todo.md`.
6. Only then mark the step `- [x]`.

Quick Reference

Check	Command (run via powershell)	Pass criterion
Tests pass	pytest / npm test / go test ./... / dotnet test / mvn test	exit 0, no failures reported
Dojo gate	bash scripts/verify.sh --check	exit 0
Diff summary	git diff main --stat	matches plan in tasks/todo.md
No regressions	git diff main -- <touched paths>	only intended changes
Clean tree	git status --porcelain	empty output (or expected untracked)
Evidence captured	edit tasks/todo.md	Verification Results block added

Procedure

Step 1: Run the Full Test Suite

Run via the powershell tool — not "it compiles", not "the unit test I wrote". The full suite catches regressions in adjacent code.

If the area you changed has no tests, write one as part of the task. An untested change is unverified by definition.

Step 2: Run the Dojo Gate

bash scripts/verify.sh --check

This wraps the spec/plan/actions/tests checks in CI parity mode. If it fails locally, it will fail in CI.

Step 3: Diff Against Main

git diff main --stat
git diff main

The change set must match the plan in tasks/todo.md. Unexpected files in the diff are a red flag — either the plan is stale or you've leaked scope.

Step 4: Clean Tree Check

git status --porcelain

Output must be empty (or contain only deliberately-untracked files). Debug prints, leftover scratch files, and stray .tmp artifacts all surface here.

Step 5: Record Evidence

Append to tasks/todo.md under the current task:

### Verification Results
- [x] Tests: 47 passed, 0 failed (`pytest tests/`)
- [x] Dojo gate: `verify.sh --check` PASS
- [x] Diff: 3 files changed, +84/-12 (matches plan)
- [x] Clean tree
- [x] Evidence: <paste relevant test output, log snippet, or screenshot ref>

Only after this block exists do you flip the step to - [x].

Step 6: Staff-Engineer Sniff Test

Final question: "Would a senior reviewer approve this on the evidence alone?" If no, add the missing evidence before claiming done.

Pitfalls

• DO NOT say "done" without a Verification Results block. Verbal claims don't count.
• DO NOT skip tests because "it's a small change." Small changes cause big outages.
• DO NOT test only the happy path. Edge cases are where bugs live.
• DO NOT ignore flaky tests. A flaky test is a test that sometimes catches bugs — fix it, don't ignore it.
• DO NOT trust "it compiles." Compilation is the lowest possible bar.
• DO NOT mark a step done before scripts/verify.sh --check exits 0.

Verification

• Test suite ran to completion with exit 0.
• scripts/verify.sh --check (or run-checks.ps1 -Check) passed.
• git diff main --stat matches the plan.
• git status --porcelain is empty.
• tasks/todo.md has a Verification Results block under the task.