What problem does it solve? Code coverage metrics can claim a line is tested even when no test actually asserts on its behavior, leaving regressions undetected. This Skill measures real test-suite effectiveness by mutating source code and checking whether any test fails, then strengthens weak tests. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Mutation Testing Execution: Drains pending hardener jobs from the ether job store, detects the target repo's stack, and runs the appropriate mutation tool (Stryker for JS/TS, mutmut or cosmic-ray for Python), optionally bootstrapping the tool if absent. - Autonomy-Tiered Test Hardening: Proposes or autonomously writes targeted tests that kill surviving mutants, re-runs the mutation tool to confirm, and never modifies application source. - Outcome Recording: Writes mutation score reports to the target's .ether/qa/jobs directory and records run outcomes so the autonomy state machine can promote or demote future runs. - Use Case: Schedule a recurring job via /loop or CronCreate to periodically mutation-test a repository, surface untested behavior, and incrementally improve the test suite's defect-detection ability. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to run the hardener job against your repository to mutation-test the suite and report surviving mutants.