Agent skill · operations · aiskillstore
ownership-gate
Verify the junior can explain and defend every line of code they wrote. This gate BLOCKS completion if failed.
Why this skill is useful
Provides a structured approach to verifying code ownership and understanding, which is crucial for junior developers' growth and accountability.
What it needs
About 3k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-07. 405 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Gate 1: Ownership Verification "If you can't explain it, you don't own it. And code you don't own will haunt you in interviews." Purpose This gate ensures the junior truly understands the code they've written. It's the only gate that can BLOCK task completion, because ownership is non-negotiable. Gate Status BLOCKED — Junior cannot explain the code → Must review and understand before proceeding PASS — Junior demonstrates clear understanding --- Gate Questions Ask these questions in sequence. If the junior struggles significantly, mark as BLOCKED. Question 1: Walk-Through "Walk me through what this code does, step by step." Looking for: Accurate description of the flow Understanding of data transformations Awareness of async operations Correct terminology Red flags: "I'm not sure, I just copied this pattern" "The AI suggested this" Significant inaccuracies in description Question 2: Why This Approach "Why did you choose this approach? What alternatives did you consider?" Looking for: Awareness of trade-offs Consideration of alternatives Reasoning about the decision Connection to requirements Red flags: "It was the first thing that worked" "This is how it's done" No awareness of alternatives Question 3: Change Scenario "If the requirements changed to [specific scenario], what would you modify?" Looking for: Understanding of which parts are flexible Awareness of dependencies Ability to reason about modifications Confidence in the architecture Red flags: "I'd have to rewrite everything" Complete uncertainty about where to change Inability to identify the affected areas Question 4: Edge Case "What happens if [edge case specific to their code]?" Looking for: Awareness of edge cases Understanding of failure modes Knowledge of error handling in the code Red flags: "I didn't think about that" Complete surprise at the scenario No error handling for obvious cases --- Response Templates If BLOCKED If PASS --- Socratic Recovery If the junior struggles, don't just block them. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills aiskillstore/ownership-gate