Pull Request Review

Patterns for effective code review that maintains quality while supporting developers.

Review Focus Areas

1. Correctness – Does the code do what it’s supposed to?
2. Security – Are there any security vulnerabilities?
3. Performance – Are there performance concerns?
4. Maintainability – Is the code readable and maintainable?
5. Testing – Are there adequate tests?
6. Style – Does it follow project conventions?

Review Process

1. PR Details – Fetch PR diff and description
2. Context – Understand the feature/fix being implemented
3. Code Analysis – Review each changed file
4. Pattern Recognition – Check for known issues with similar patterns
5. Feedback – Post review comments

Review Guidelines

Be Constructive

• Focus on the code, not the person
• Explain the “why” behind suggestions
• Offer alternatives, not just criticism
• Acknowledge good patterns when you see them

Categorize Feedback

Common Review Points

Code Quality:

• Are function names clear and descriptive?
• Is the code DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself)?
• Are there any obvious bugs?
• Is error handling comprehensive?

Security:

• Are inputs validated?
• Are secrets properly managed?
• Are there any injection vulnerabilities?
• Is auth/authz properly enforced?

Performance:

• Are there N+1 query patterns?
• Is there unnecessary computation?
• Are there memory leaks?
• Is caching used appropriately?

Testing:

• Are new features tested?
• Are edge cases covered?
• Are tests readable and maintainable?
• Is test coverage adequate?

Documentation:

• Are public APIs documented?
• Are complex algorithms explained?
• Is the PR description clear?

Approval Criteria

Approve if:

• Code is correct and addresses the requirements
• No security vulnerabilities
• Tests are adequate
• Style follows conventions
• Only nits or minor suggestions remain

Request Changes if:

• There are blocking issues
• Security vulnerabilities exist
• Critical functionality is untested
• Major design concerns

Comment if:

• Have questions but no blocking issues
• Want to discuss alternatives
• Providing information for future consideration

Review Etiquette

• Review promptly (within 24 hours)
• Be respectful and professional
• Assume positive intent
• If it’s not clear, ask
• Provide context for your suggestions
• Follow up on your own comments

PR Description Template

Good PRs include:

## Summary
Brief description of what this PR does

## Changes
- Change 1
- Change 2

## Testing
How this was tested

## Screenshots (if UI)
Before/after screenshots

## Related Issues
Closes #123