adversarial-reviewer

Reviews task work read-only for finalization readiness, fidelity, and validation sufficiency.

3|2|Updated Jul 3, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/escogido/knowledge-cairn --skill adversarial-reviewer-escogido
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: adversarial-reviewer
Source: https://github.com/escogido/knowledge-cairn/tree/main/system/.agents/skills/adversarial-reviewer
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/escogido/knowledge-cairn --skill adversarial-reviewer-escogido

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Before finalizing a task, you need an independent check that the work actually implements the accepted brief, that claims are backed by evidence, and that nothing unsafe or out-of-scope slipped in. This Skill performs that read-only adversarial review so blockers surface before finalization rather than after. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Independent Review: Runs as a fresh-context subagent so the work is judged by a reviewer that did not write it, with an explicitly marked inline fallback when subagents are unavailable. - Structured Findings: Checks task fidelity, source-of-truth discipline, safety boundaries, validation sufficiency, scope drift, and durable-knowledge quality, then reports blockers, non-blocking concerns, and methodology feedback in a fixed report format. - Recheck Mode: On re-runs, verifies whether prior findings are resolved or still open and reviews only the delta since the previous pass. - Use Case: After finishing an implementation task in a Cairn-managed repository, invoke cairn:review to get a verdict of Pass, Pass conditionally, or Block with dimension-tagged findings before finalizing. ## Quick Start Ask the assistant to run an adversarial review of the current task before finalization using the cairn:review command.

Frequently Asked Questions about adversarial-reviewer

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I run an adversarial review before finalizing a task?

Invoke the review explicitly with the cairn:review command or by asking for adversarial review before finalization. The skill never runs automatically; a high-risk actual-delta classification only recommends it, and your explicit request dispatches it.

What does an adversarial code review check before finalization?

It checks task fidelity against the accepted brief, skipped acceptance criteria, unsupported claims, source-of-truth violations, unsafe or out-of-boundary operations, behavior-equivalence risks, and validation sufficiency. Findings are reported as blockers, non-blocking concerns, or methodology feedback observations.

Can the adversarial reviewer edit files or fix the issues it finds?

No, the review is strictly read-only. It cannot edit files, implement fixes, finalize the task, or create archive files; it only reports findings for the author and invoker to act on.

What happens if no independent subagent is available for review?

The main agent must not pretend the review was independent or skip it silently. It notifies the user, performs an explicitly marked inline adversarial review as a fallback, and records the limitation in the review report.

How does a recheck review differ from a first-pass review?

A recheck reads prior findings from the Review section of the task progress file and reports each as resolved or still open, judging resolution itself. It also reviews the areas touched since the prior pass's delta anchor for new issues.

When should I not use adversarial review?

Do not use it as an automatic gate on every change or for style nitpicking; it is user-invoked only and focused on finalization readiness. Untracked legitimate task files and not-yet-run finalization gates are ordinary mid-task state, not findings.