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Verification Before Completion

Makes the agent run real checks and show evidence before saying work is done or passing

Source Download skill
Repository
obra/superpowers
Stars
310,931
Licence
MIT
Files
1 file

What it does

This skill makes the agent stop and run the actual verification command (such as tests, a linter, or a build) and read the real output before it says a task is finished, fixed, or passing. It also covers checking an agent's own success reports against the code changes. The skill is a set of rules and checklists written in plain instructions, so it changes how the agent behaves rather than adding a new tool.

Great for

  • Developers who have seen an AI agent claim tests pass when they were never run
  • Teams that want a verification step before commits or pull requests
  • People delegating coding work to sub-agents who want the results checked against the actual diff

Skip it if

  • Projects with no test, lint, or build commands, since there is nothing to run as evidence (the skill cannot create verification on its own)
  • Non-technical tasks such as writing or design work where there is no command that proves success
  • Quick throwaway edits where the extra verification step adds delay without much benefit

Try asking

  • “Before you commit, check that the tests really pass and show me the output”
  • “Fix this bug and confirm the original failing test now passes before you tell me it's fixed”
  • “Did the sub-agent actually make the changes it reported? Check the diff before we merge”
  • “Make sure the build succeeds, not just the linter, before we open the pull request”
Step-by-step guide: how to use Verification Before CompletionInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

Install in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Download the skill

    The ZIP contains the 1 original files, the MIT licence and an attribution note.

    verification-before-completion.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip verification-before-completion.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip verification-before-completion.zip -d .claude/skills/

    Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.

  3. 3

    Ask for the task

    No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.

Get better results

  • Name the exact verification command you want run (for example npm test or cargo build) so the agent does not guess
  • Ask for the regression test red-green cycle when fixing bugs, so the test is shown to fail before the fix and pass after
  • Give the agent the original plan or requirements so it can build a line-by-line checklist to verify against

What's inside

  • SKILL.md

Redistributed unmodified from obra/superpowers under the MIT licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.