proof-failure-explainer
Analyze and explain why Isabelle or Coq proofs fail, identifying the root cause such as type mismatches, missing assumptions, incorrect goals, unification failures, or inapplicable tactics. Use when the user encounters proof failures, error messages in formal verification, stuck proof states, or asks why their Isabelle/Coq proof doesn't work.
Profile →npx skills add majiayu000/claude-skill-registry --skill proof-failure-explainer --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# Proof Failure Explainer ## Overview Diagnose and explain proof failures in Isabelle and Coq by analyzing proof states, error messages, and goal structures. This skill helps identify root causes and suggests fixes for common proof problems. ## Analysis Workflow ### Step 1: Gather Context Collect information about the failure: 1. **Proof state:** - Current goal(s) - Available hypotheses/assumptions - Context (definitions, lemmas in scope) 2. **Error message:** - Exact error text - Which tactic failed - Line/position of failure 3. **Proof attempt:** - What tactics were tried - What was expected to happen - Where the proof got stuck ### Step 2: Identify Failure Category Classify the type of failure: **Type Errors:** - Type mismatch in expressions - Wrong function argument types - Incompatible type unification **Unification Failures:** - Cannot unify terms - Existential variables not instantiated - Pattern matching failures **Missing Assumptions:** - Unprovable without additional hypotheses - Missing preconditions - Insufficient context **Incorrect Goals:** - Goal statement is false - Goal too strong or too weak - Wrong quantifier order **Tactic Failures:** - Tactic not applicable to
- Overview
- Analysis Workflow
- Step 1: Gather Context
- Step 2: Identify Failure Category
- Step 3: Analyze Root Cause
- Step 4: Explain the Failure
- Step 5: Suggest Solutions
- Common Failure Patterns
- Quick Diagnosis Guide
- Examples
- Example 1: Type Mismatch
- Example 2: Unification Failure
- Example 3: Missing Assumption
- Example 4: Wrong Tactic
What does the proof-failure-explainer skill do?
Analyze and explain why Isabelle or Coq proofs fail, identifying the root cause such as type mismatches, missing assumptions, incorrect goals, unification failures, or inapplicable tactics. Use when the user encounters proof failures, error messages in formal verification, stuck proof states, or asks why their Isabelle/Coq proof doesn't work.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add majiayu000/claude-skill-registry --skill proof-failure-explainer --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From majiayu000/claude-skill-registry, a repository with 534 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.