Code Review Methodology

Deep code reviews that protect architecture, catch correctness issues, and provide mentoring-quality feedback using Conventional Comments.

Purpose

This skill provides methodology for reviewing code changes introduced during implementation. Unlike full codebase audits, this focuses on the delta - what was added or modified - to catch quality issues before they're committed.

Review Workflow

Follow this order - don't jump to nits.

1. Understand Context

• What problem is this solving?
• Is there a linked ticket/design doc?
• Read the implementation plan if available

2. Scan High Level

• Files/directories touched
• New public APIs or endpoints
• New dependencies
• Migrations and data changes
• Size check: 200-400 lines optimal, >1000 recommend splitting

3. Evaluate Correctness

• Does it solve the described problem?
• Edge cases and error conditions handled?
• Assumptions explicit?
• Race conditions considered?

4. Evaluate Design

• Aligns with existing architecture?
• New pattern where existing one would work?
• Local change or architecture decision in disguise?

Pattern Recognition:

Always name patterns explicitly.

SOLID Quick Check:

5. Evaluate Tests

• Tests for critical paths and edge cases?
• Tests read like specifications?
• Stable, isolated, fast?

Red Flags:

• Testing private methods instead of behavior
• Mocking what can be used for real (never mock what you can use for real)
• Tests slower than necessary
• Missing edge case coverage

6. Evaluate Security (Lightweight)

Note obvious security concerns for security-reviewer to examine in depth:

• User input crossing trust boundaries?
• Authorization and privacy concerns?
• Secrets handling?

Defer detailed security analysis to the security-reviewer agent.

7. Evaluate Operability

• Logging, metrics, traces where needed?
• Clear error messages?
• Impact on alerts and SLOs?
• Failure modes understood?

8. Evaluate Maintainability

• Can a mid-level engineer understand this?
• Coupling and cohesion appropriate?
• Naming, structure, comments carry weight?
• Future changes considered?

9. Provide Feedback

• Use Conventional Comments syntax
• Classify blocking vs non-blocking
• Explain why each point matters
• Include at least one praise per review
• End with clear verdict

Conventional Comments

<label> [decorations]: <subject>
[discussion]

Labels

Decorations

• (blocking) - Must resolve before merge
• (non-blocking) - Helpful but not required
• (security), (performance), (tests), (readability), (maintainability)

Examples

[src/validation.ts:34]
**praise**: Clean extraction of validation logic improves readability.

[api/users.py:127]
**issue (blocking)**: Missing null check before accessing user.email.
Add guard clause or use optional chaining.

[handlers/payment.js:89-105]
**suggestion (non-blocking, readability)**: Nested conditionals hard to scan.
Consider early returns to flatten. Classic Compose Method pattern (Fowler).

[core/processor.go:234]
**question**: Is this on the hot path? If so, consider allocation cost in loop.

Principle-Based Review

Apply first principles and attribute by name for shared vocabulary:

**issue (blocking, design)**: This mutates shared state. Following Rich Hickey's
immutability principle, return new value from pure function instead.

**suggestion (non-blocking)**: Following Ousterhout's principle, pull this
complexity into the implementation. Simplify the interface.

**issue (blocking)**: Subclass overrides parent method but changes expected behavior.
This violates Liskov Substitution - callers can't safely substitute implementations.

Principles to apply:

• Rich Hickey: Simple, immutable data structures; pure functions
• John Carmack: Direct implementation; avoid unnecessary abstraction
• Joe Armstrong: Isolate failures; rigorous error handling
• Barbara Liskov: Respect interface contracts; substitutability
• John Ousterhout: Deep modules with simple interfaces
• Donald Knuth: Readability and maintainability above cleverness

Change Size Guidelines

For large changes:

**suggestion (blocking)**: This change (1,450 lines) exceeds reviewable size.
Please split per atomic change principle (200-400 lines optimal).
Providing architectural review only until split.

Report Format

## Code Review: $ARGUMENTS

### Summary
[Brief overview of changes reviewed and overall assessment]

### Findings

[File location first, then Conventional Comment]

[file:line]
**<label> (<decorations>)**: <subject>
<discussion>

### Verdict
[APPROVE / APPROVE WITH NITS / REQUEST CHANGES]

### Rationale
[Brief explanation of verdict decision]

Verdict Criteria

APPROVE - No blocking issues, code is ready

• Implementation may proceed to security review
• Note any minor items for awareness

APPROVE WITH NITS - Only non-blocking suggestions

• Implementation may proceed
• Suggestions are improvements, not blockers
• Author may address at their discretion

REQUEST CHANGES - Blocking issues present

• Should address issues before proceeding
• Provide specific remediation for each blocking issue
• User may choose to proceed anyway (soft gate)

Integration with Implementation

When called from implementation phase:

1. Review all changes made during implementation
2. Reference the plan to understand intended behavior
3. Focus on quality implications of the changes
4. Report findings clearly with actionable recommendations
5. Soft-gate completion if blocking issues found (user can override)
6. Security concerns flagged here will be examined by security-reviewer next