# Acceptance Criteria > Write clear, testable acceptance criteria using Given/When/Then format. Use when defining user stories, testing requirements, or creating a Definition of Done. - **Type:** Skill - **Install:** `agentstack add skill-uthumany-uthy-legacy-os-acceptance-criteria` - **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior - **Seller:** [uthumany](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/uthumany) - **Installs:** 0 - **Category:** [Agent Skills](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/agent-skills) - **Latest version:** 0.1.0 - **License:** MIT - **Upstream author:** [uthumany](https://github.com/uthumany) - **Source:** https://github.com/uthumany/uthy-legacy-os/tree/main/skills/prd-and-stories/acceptance-criteria - **Website:** https://uthumany.github.io/uthy-legacy-os/ ## Install ```sh agentstack add skill-uthumany-uthy-legacy-os-acceptance-criteria ``` Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent. ## About # Acceptance Criteria ## Overview Acceptance criteria define when a story is "done." They're the shared understanding between product, engineering, and QA of what must be true for the feature to be accepted. Well-written criteria prevent ambiguity and reduce rework. This skill teaches the Given/When/Then format from Behavior-Driven Development (BDD). ## When to Use - Writing or reviewing user stories - Defining scope for a sprint or release - Handing off requirements to QA - Creating a Definition of Done for your team - Don't use for: non-functional requirements (performance, security — separate criteria), exploratory work, or creative tasks ## Instructions ### 1. Use Given/When/Then Format ``` Scenario: [Title describing the scenario] Given [context / preconditions] When [action / event] Then [expected outcome] ``` **Given** sets up the context — what state must exist before the action. **When** describes the trigger — what the user does or what happens. **Then** describes the expected result — what should be observable. ### 2. Follow Best Practices - **One scenario per behavior** — Don't test multiple things in one scenario - **Use concrete examples** — "Given user has 3 active projects" not "Given user has projects" - **Be deterministic** — Same inputs always produce same results - **Focus on outcomes, not implementation** — THEN describes what happens, not how - **Include edge cases** — Empty states, error states, permission boundaries ### 3. Use AND/OR for Combinations ``` Scenario: Admin approves a team member's invitation Given the admin is logged in And there is a pending invitation for user@example.com When the admin clicks "Approve" Then the invitation status changes to "Active" And the user receives a welcome email ``` ### 4. Write Rule-Oriented Criteria For features with many variations, write rule-oriented criteria: ``` Rule: Team members can see projects based on their role Scenario: Owner can see all projects Given I am the team owner When I open the dashboard Then I see all projects in the team Scenario: Member can only see assigned projects Given I am a team member And I am assigned to projects A and B When I open the dashboard Then I see projects A and B And I do NOT see project C ``` ### 5. Cover Edge Cases For each story, think of: - **Happy path**: The expected success case - **Error path**: What happens when something goes wrong - **Empty state**: What if there's no data? - **Permission boundary**: What can/can't different user roles do? - **Boundary conditions**: What happens at limits? ## Sample Output **Story**: User can filter their task list by status ``` Scenario: Filter by "In Progress" Given I have 10 tasks: 4 "To Do", 3 "In Progress", and 3 "Done" When I select the "In Progress" filter Then I see only the 3 "In Progress" tasks Scenario: Filter by "Done" Given I have 10 tasks: 4 "To Do", 3 "In Progress", and 3 "Done" When I select the "Done" filter Then I see only the 3 "Done" tasks Scenario: No tasks match the filter Given I have 10 tasks all marked "To Do" When I select the "Done" filter Then I see "No tasks match this filter" And I see a "Clear filter" button Scenario: Clear filter Given I have the "In Progress" filter active When I click "Clear filter" Then I see all 10 tasks ``` ## Common Pitfalls 1. **Too vague** — "User can see their data" doesn't tell QA what to test. Be specific 2. **Testing implementation, not behavior** — "API returns 200" matters less than "User sees their data" 3. **Missing edge cases** — Empty states and error paths are where most bugs live 4. **Criteria that are too long** — If you have 15 criteria for one story, split the story 5. **Not involving QA** — QA knows which edge cases are missing. Review criteria together ## Verification Checklist - [ ] Happy path covered with Given/When/Then - [ ] Error path covered (what goes wrong?) - [ ] Empty state covered - [ ] Permission boundaries covered - [ ] Each scenario tests one behavior - [ ] Concrete examples used (not "some data" but "3 active projects") - [ ] QA has reviewed the criteria ## Source & license This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code. - **Author:** [uthumany](https://github.com/uthumany) - **Source:** [uthumany/uthy-legacy-os](https://github.com/uthumany/uthy-legacy-os) - **License:** MIT - **Homepage:** https://uthumany.github.io/uthy-legacy-os/ 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-uthumany-uthy-legacy-os-acceptance-criteria - Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/uthumany - Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse --- Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.