Software Evidence in a Minute
Verification
Checking a claim against evidence—distinct from generating the claim in the first place.
In one sentence
Verification is the act of testing whether a claim matches available evidence under an explicit method.
Why it matters
Agents generate claims cheaply. Verification is the scarce skill that keeps merges and metrics honest.
How it works
- Restate the claim precisely.
- Choose a verification method (diff inspection, test, metric query, manual probe).
- Execute the method and record the outcome.
- Accept, reject, or narrow the claim based on the outcome.
Example
Claim: “Rate limiting is enabled for /login.” Verification: read the middleware wiring at the current commit and send a burst request in a staging environment with logging. If either check fails, the claim is unverified.
What this proves
Verification proves only that a specific claim was checked with a stated method at a stated time.
What this does not prove
One successful verification does not prove the claim holds forever, in all environments, or against future changes.
Last reviewed 2026-09-06. Title for citation: Software Evidence in a Minute: Verification.