# Verify References

> Verify and validate bibliography references in BibTeX files by comparing with CrossRef metadata. Use when user asks to check, verify, or validate references.

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-quantumbfs-claude-code-skills-verify-references`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [QuantumBFS](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/quantumbfs)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Agent Skills](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/agent-skills)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [QuantumBFS](https://github.com/QuantumBFS)
- **Source:** https://github.com/QuantumBFS/claude-code-skills/tree/main/plugins/verify-references/skills/verify-references

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-quantumbfs-claude-code-skills-verify-references
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

When this skill is invoked, you must:

## Step 0: Pre-check

1. Ask user for:
   - `bib_file` path (e.g., `Biblio/ref.bib`)
   - `tex_dir` path (e.g., `Tex/`)

2. Generate report file path: `/verification_report.md`

3. Check if report already exists:
   - If exists: Use AskUserQuestion tool to ask "Found existing verification report at ``. What would you like to do?" with options:
     - "Re-run verification" (description: "Delete existing report and run full verification again")
     - "View existing report" (description: "Read and summarize the existing report without re-running")
   - If user chooses "View existing report": Read and summarize the existing report, then exit
   - If user chooses "Re-run verification" or report doesn't exist: Continue to Step 1

## Step 1: Check Unused References

1. Run: `python ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/check_unused_refs.py  `

2. Parse JSON output and write to report file:
   - Create report with header "# Bibliography Verification Report"
   - Add section "## Unused References"
   - List total references, cited count, uncited count
   - List uncited citation keys

## Step 2: Download CrossRef Metadata

1. Generate output file path: `/ref_crossref.bib`

2. Tell user: "Downloading CrossRef metadata. You can monitor progress in real-time by viewing ``"

3. Run: `python -u ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/download_crossref.py  `
   - Queries CrossRef API for all entries with DOIs
   - Generates a CrossRef version of the bib file for comparison
   - Maintains the same entry order as the original file
   - **Monitor and relay progress**: As the script outputs progress lines like "[1/50] Querying key: DOI", relay these to the user in real-time so they can see the download progress

4. Report progress summary:
   - Total entries processed
   - Entries with DOIs
   - Entries without DOIs (skipped)

## Step 3: Generate Comparison Report

1. Run: `python ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/compare_refs.py   `
   - Use the same `/verification_report.md` from Step 1
   - Compares original bib file with CrossRef version
   - Identifies discrepancies in metadata fields
   - Calculates similarity scores
   - Appends comparison results to the existing report

2. Parse and present the comparison section:
   - Summary statistics
   - Entries with no discrepancies
   - Entries with discrepancies (sorted by similarity)
   - Detailed field-by-field comparison table

## Step 4: Final Summary

1. Read the complete verification report from `/verification_report.md`

2. Provide a concise summary to the user:
   - Number of unused references
   - Number of entries verified against CrossRef
   - Number of entries with discrepancies
   - Key issues found (if any)

3. Tell the user: "Detailed report saved to: ``"

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [QuantumBFS](https://github.com/QuantumBFS)
- **Source:** [QuantumBFS/claude-code-skills](https://github.com/QuantumBFS/claude-code-skills)
- **License:** MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-quantumbfs-claude-code-skills-verify-references
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/quantumbfs
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

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Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.