> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.withmethod.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# The issue checker

> What method validate reports, what blocks, and how to accept a warning.

`method validate FILE` checks the Method and this computer's setup without running the work. It lists **issues**. Each issue has a `level`, a `code`, where it is (`at`), a one-sentence `message`, and a one-sentence `fix`.

| Level | What it means | Blocks a run or a publish |
| - | - | - |
| error | The run would be wrong or unsafe. | Yes. `validate` exits 1 and `publish` publishes nothing. |
| warning | A likely problem. Fix it, or accept it with a reason. | Never. |
| note | Advice. Shown only with `--notes`. | Never. |

`validate` lists warnings only for steps whose text changed since the last validate, at most 5. `--all` lists every warning.

## Codes

| Code | Level | When |
| - | - | - |
| format codes (for example `unknown_model`) | error | A field, reference, type, or dependency is wrong. `unknown_model`: a step's `model` is not in `models:`, not a model ID, and not `default`. |
| `legacy_runtime_json`, `legacy_sidecar` | error | A `runtime.json` or `FILE.method.json` is next to the Method. See [Migrate from 0.13](/guides/migrate-0-14). |
| `secret_value` | error | The Method or one of its files holds a value of this computer's secrets. The issue never shows the value. |
| `missing_secret` | warning in validate, error at run | A declared secret has no value on this computer. See [Secrets](/guides/secrets). |
| `model_not_private` | warning | A step names a hosted model that no private provider serves. Hosted runs refuse it. Choose one from `method models`. |
| `untrusted_content_can_act` | warning | An agent with a browser can also change things. |
| `unused_output` | warning | No step, check, effect, result, or run label uses an output. |
| `script_calls_model` | warning | A script appears to call a model. Give each prompt its own `call`, `agent`, or `classify` step. |
| `accept_unused` | note | A step accepts a code that no longer fires on it. |

## Model checks

Some checks ask a model a yes/no question about a step, through your Method account. They run for changed steps, and their answers are cached. `validate` waits at most 3 seconds and reports the rest as pending.

A new model check starts in **shadow mode**: it is computed and recorded on this computer, but not shown. It is shown only after its precision on a labeled test set reaches its level (0.90 for a warning, 0.75 for a note). Today only `script_calls_model` is shown. `prompt_multiple_tasks`, `check_enforces_wording`, `classify_needs_math`, `classify_no_unclear`, and `prompt_no_missing_input` run in shadow mode.

## Accept a warning

When a warning is not a problem for this task, accept it on the step with the user's reason. The shipped `support-triage` example accepts one:

```yaml theme={null}
  move:
    # ...
    accept:
      unused_output: The receipt stays in the run record. The result cannot name it, because the step is skipped when the team is clear.
```

The issue stays in the list with `accepted` set to the reason. Errors cannot be accepted. Do not add a check only to remove a warning.


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