Verify Before Completion
Core Principle
Evidence before assertions. Never claim success without showing actual command output.
When This Applies
- Before saying "done", "complete", "fixed", "working"
- Before committing changes
- Before reporting task completion to planner
Required Verification
For Nix Changes
# MUST run and show output:
nix fmt # Format check
nix flake check # Full validation
nix build .#nixosConfigurations.<host>.config.system.build.toplevel # Build test
For Terraform Changes
nix run .#tfmgr -- validate
nix run .#tfmgr -- plan
For Service Changes
# After deploy:
ssh <host> systemctl status <service>
ssh <host> systemctl --failed
Anti-Patterns (NEVER Do)
| Bad | Why |
|---|---|
| "The build should pass now" | No evidence |
| "I fixed the error" | Didn't verify |
| "Changes are ready" | Didn't run checks |
Committing without nix fmt | Formatting issues |
Correct Pattern
1. Make changes
2. Run: nix fmt && nix flake check
3. Show actual output in response
4. THEN claim completion
Report Format
When reporting completion, include:
## Verification Results
**Commands run:**
- `nix fmt` ✅
- `nix flake check` ✅
- `nix build ...` ✅
**Output:**
[actual command output]
**Status:** Ready for review