Practical pointers for better code review

Practical pointers for better code review

• 1.
  Welcome Practical pointers for bettercode review
• 2.
  Introduction ● About me:Python dev at Four Digits – Web stuff – Python, Django, Wagtail CMS, React ● Slides will be linked from Twitter @keeshink
• 3.
  Code review goals ●Find bugs ● Check if it solves the problem ● Check maintainability ● Share knowledge / onboard people
• 4.
  More goals ● Discussalternative approaches ● Make less experienced developers learn ● Link to documentation and other sources ● Avoid unwanted new dependencies on external packages ● Check team members’ understanding ● Recognize when (end user) documentation needs update ● Record reasons for code changes ● Recognize when external parties need to be informed
• 5.
  Goal: Check ifit solves the problem ● Ask until problem is entirely clear ● Ask until proposed solution is clear
• 6.
  Example: Problem+solution unclear ● Customer:“When I try logging in with my username in CAPITALS, I get this message in red: ● Developer: OK
• 7.
  Goal: Share knowledge,onboard people ● Ask a “control question” ● Ask questions instead of suggesting changes ● Also comment on what is good in the MR ● As submitter: Put in a TBD, ask for suggestions ● Have agreements / rules for MRs
• 8.
  Goal: Maintainability (1) ●Pretend it’s yours from now on ● Ask until code is clear to you ● Split large MR into small ones ● Review one commit at a time
• 9.
  Goal: Maintainability (2) ●Actively look for similar code elsewhere in the project ● Consider the name of each class / method / variable / file ● Follow the code across referenced methods ● Check dependencies’ repo: #devs, last release, open issues
• 10.
  Example: Code unclear
• 11.
  Goal: Find bugs(1) ● There is no recipe ● Discuss the “interface”
• 12.
  Goal: Find bugs(2: read tests) ● If A B, also test !A !B → → ● Run test without fix (should fail) ● Test with edge case inputs
• 13.
  Know the kindof review to do ● Know your project ● Know the timeline ● Know yourself
• 14.
  Thank you ● Thankyou for being here ● Thanks to my colleagues for their MRs... ● ...and for reviewing mine!