Setting the skill. One moment.
Skills
Skill 13 of 15
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…
1 minute · 275 words · 8 sections
Install
npx skills add obra/superpowers --skill verification-before-completionnpx skills add obra/superpowers/plugin marketplace add obra/superpowersThe first command installs just this skill, by the name in its SKILL.md; the second installs the whole repository.
Core principle: Evidence before claims, always.
Violating the letter of this rule is violating the spirit of this rule.
NO COMPLETION CLAIMS WITHOUT FRESH VERIFICATION EVIDENCEIf you haven’t run the verification command in this message, you cannot claim it passes.
BEFORE claiming any status or expressing satisfaction:
1. IDENTIFY: What command proves this claim?
2. RUN: Execute the FULL command (fresh, complete)
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| Claim | Requires | Not Sufficient |
|---|---|---|
| Tests pass | Test command output: 0 failures | Previous run, “should pass” |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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 reportALWAYS before:
Rule applies to:
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
The verbatim description from this skill’s front matter — the string an agent matches on to decide whether to load it.
main, last pushed 22 September 2026.SKILL.md, not by matching a directory convention. One layout observed: skills/*/SKILL.md.h1 and no skipped levels:.claude-plugin/marketplace.json by Jesse Vincent, declaring 1 plugin. It is read for editorial metadata only — never as the skill index, which is always the repository tree./obra/superpowers.md, and each skill at its own .md URL.