docs-validating-factual-accuracy

Purpose

This Skill provides a universal methodology for verifying factual correctness in technical documentation, educational content, and code examples using WebSearch and WebFetch tools.

When to use this Skill:

• Verifying command syntax and flags
• Checking version numbers and compatibility
• Validating code examples compile/run correctly
• Confirming API methods and signatures
• Verifying external claims and references
• Classifying confidence levels for documentation
• Maintaining factual accuracy in tutorials

Core Concepts

What is Factual Validation?

Factual validation is the systematic process of verifying objective, verifiable claims in documentation against authoritative sources using web search and retrieval tools.

Validates:

• Command syntax (bash, npm, git commands)
• Software version numbers
• API method names and signatures
• Code example correctness
• Configuration file formats
• Library/package availability
• External factual claims

Does NOT validate:

• Subjective quality assessments
• Narrative flow or writing style
• Architectural decisions or opinions
• Future predictions or speculation

The Four Confidence Classifications

See The Four Confidence Classifications for the full [Verified] / [Error] / [Outdated] / [Unverified] definitions with examples of each.

Validation Workflow

See Step-by-Step Validation Workflow for the six-step process from identifying claims through documenting a finding, with a worked npm-flag example.

Source Prioritization

See Source Prioritization for the four-tier source hierarchy — official documentation, package registries, official release notes, and well-maintained community sources — with examples and when to use each.

Common Validation Patterns

See Common Validation Patterns for four worked patterns: command syntax, version number, code example, and API method validation.

Update Frequency Rules and Metadata

See Update Frequency Rules and Metadata Storage for the mandatory and optional re-validation triggers and the external-links-status.yaml metadata format.

Integration with Checker Agents

See Integration with Checker Agents for the dual-label pattern (verification + criticality), confidence assessment levels, the three agents that implement this methodology, and when to delegate research to web-researcher.

Common Mistakes and Best Practices

See Common Mistakes and Best Practices for the five most common validation mistakes, the pre-publish validation checklist, the batch validation workflow, and the WebSearch/WebFetch tool usage pattern.

Reference Documentation

Primary Convention: Factual Validation Convention

Related Conventions: Content Quality Principles, Criticality Levels, Timestamp Format

Related Skills: repo-assessing-criticality-confidence - dual-label system and priority matrix

Related Agents: docs-checker, docs-tutorial-checker, apps-ayokoding-www-facts-checker

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This Skill packages critical factual validation methodology for maintaining accuracy in technical documentation. For comprehensive details, consult the primary convention document.