How pdlc-skills Uses a 7-Link Quality Chain to Validate AI-Generated Code

Developer tool pdlc-skills addresses the code quality challenge posed by AI systems that can generate more code in hours than humans can review in days. The system uses a seven-link sequential quality chain — spanning requirements, design, TDD, implementation, unit tests, end-to-end tests, and a second AI review — rather than relying on a single approval gate. A key design decision is that the AI's self-assessment is logged separately and never influences stop-or-continue decisions, since AI models tend to grade their own output generously. The first two links, requirements and design, involve AI drafting and AI review, with a human performing a final check to handle judgment calls that cannot be reduced to exit codes. Each link must pass before the next begins, as a failure at any stage undermines the guarantees established by all preceding ones.