Code Reviews 101
The goal is to increase code quality through effective collaboration and a proactive learning environment. Code reviews are important because they improve code quality, reduce incidents, promote team collaboration, identify issues with SOLID principles, and leverage cross-functional skills. Code reviews also benefit individuals by encouraging learning from peers, improving attention to detail, increasing productivity, and promoting technical discussions. When done right, code reviews save time in the long run. They also improve product quality by reducing code issues and promoting testable code. Code reviews are related to Agile as they share knowledge, improve estimates, and promote early feedback. Guidelines for code reviews include submitting small amounts of code, providing context to reviewers, including screenshots or mock-ups for UI changes, involving senior engineers or subject matter experts, and actively participating in code reviews. When asked to code review, it is important to provide constructive criticism, address the request promptly, communicate availability, notify the author when finished, look for tests, and involve a lead or senior engineer in case of disagreements.