writing-skills

Test-driven development for agent skills applies the RED-GREEN-REFACTOR cycle to skill documentation, ensuring agents reliably follow instructions by pressure testing content against realistic constraints before finalizing.

Preventing agent rationalization requires identifying common excuses agents use to bypass rules, then applying countermeasures during skill creation to address scenarios like skipping tasks under time pressure or sunk cost constraints.

Pressure testing agent skills involves developing scenarios that simulate realistic constraints such as time pressure, sunk cost, and authority, ensuring the skill documentation remains robust and enforceable under operational conditions.

Yes, the RED-GREEN-REFACTOR cycle adapts directly to skill documentation by writing failing test scenarios first, creating skill content to pass those tests, then refactoring the documentation to eliminate rationalization loopholes.

Prior testing experience helps but is not required to create agent skills with TDD, as the methodology focuses on structuring documentation through iterative scenario testing and rationalization countermeasures rather than writing code tests.

TDD methodology for skill creation is not ideal for rapid prototyping or exploratory drafting, since it requires defining test scenarios and rationalization countermeasures upfront before writing the actual skill documentation.