What is testing-skills-with-subagents?

This Claude skill automates the testing and validation of AI agent skills by applying TDD (Test-Driven Development) principles to process documentation. It leverages subagents to execute baseline tests, measure compliance, and identify rationalization loopholes, offering both fast conversational iterations for development and rigorous isolated worktree testing for pre-deployment validation.

When should I use testing-skills-with-subagents?

testing-skills-with-subagents is useful in the following scenarios: • Skill Development TDD: Applying Red-Green-Refactor cycles to new skill documentation to ensure the agent follows the intended logic from the start. • Regression Testing: Verifying that existing skills still perform correctly under pressure after updates or changes to the underlying model or environment. • Compliance & Loophole Auditing: Using subagents to stress-test workflows and close rationalization loopholes where the agent might deviate from instructions. • Pre-deployment Quality Assurance: Executing the 'Slow' variant in an isolated worktree to gain high-confidence validation before moving a skill into production.

name	testing-skills-with-subagents
description	Use after writing a new skill and/or when testing existing skills, creating skill evaluations, or verifying skills work under pressure - applies TDD/RED-GREEN-REFACTOR to skill documentation by running baseline tests, measuring compliance, and closing rationalization loopholes

Testing Skills With Subagents

Overview

Testing skills is just TDD applied to process documentation.

Choose your testing approach based on development phase:

Fast variant: Quick iteration during skill development (15-30 min)
Slow variant: Rigorous validation before deployment (45-90 min)

Announce at start: "I'm using the testing-skills-with-subagents skill."

Workflow

Follow this workflow exactly - do not skip steps:

graph TD
    a@{ shape: stadium, label: "Start: Announce Skill Usage" }
    b@{ shape: rect, label: "Ask Variant Question" }
    c@{ shape: diam, label: "Variant Choice?" }
    d@{ shape: rect, label: "Read variants/fast-conversational.md" }
    e@{ shape: rect, label: "Read variants/slow-isolated.md" }
    f@{ shape: stadium, label: "Execute Variant Workflow" }

    a --> b
    b --> c
    c -->|Fast| d
    c -->|Slow| e
    d --> f
    e --> f

    classDef start fill:#ccffcc
    classDef decision fill:#ffffcc
    classDef action fill:#ccccff

    a:::start
    c:::decision
    b:::action
    d:::action
    e:::action
    f:::start

Design Rationale: Mermaid flowchart provides visual enforcement of workflow sequence, preventing LLM from skipping announcement or variant question.

Step 1: Choose Testing Variant

Use the AskUserQuestion tool with these exact parameters:

Question: "Which testing variant do you want to use?"

Options:

"Fast: Conversational testing with control scenarios" - 15-30 min iteration, lightweight logging, good for skill development
"Slow: Worktree-based isolated testing" - 45-90 min validation, full infrastructure, deployment-ready confidence

Trade-offs:

Aspect	Fast Variant	Slow Variant
Time	15-30 min	45-90 min
Infrastructure	Lightweight logs	Full worktree isolation
Confidence	Moderate	High (deployment-ready)
Best For	Iteration, hypothesis testing	Pre-deployment validation

Step 2: Execute Selected Variant

Based on the user's variant choice from Step 1:

IF user selected "Fast: Conversational testing":

Read the file: variants/fast-conversational.md
Follow ALL instructions in that file

IF user selected "Slow: Worktree-based testing":

Read the file: variants/slow-isolated.md
Follow ALL instructions in that file

Do NOT proceed without reading the selected variant file.

Error Handling

If variant file doesn't exist: Display this error message:

❌ Error: Variant file not found

Expected file: variants/{variant-name}.md

This indicates incomplete skill installation. Please check:
1. File structure is correct (.claude/skills/testing-skills-with-subagents/variants/)
2. Variant files exist (fast-conversational.md, slow-isolated.md)
3. Repository is up to date

Cannot proceed without variant file.

Design Rationale:

<critical-instruction> tags ensure LLM doesn't skip file read
Context passed forward but doesn't override variant's workflow
Clear error message for missing files

testing-skills-with-subagents

When & Why to Use This Skill

Use Cases