Wish someone had told me this about code review etiquette

 

 

 

Wish someone had told me this about code review etiquette

The goal is shipping reliable code, not winning arguments.

𝐀𝐬 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫:

𝐃𝐨'𝐬

Review the code within 24 hours — blocking teammates kills productivity

Start with "What problem is this code solving?"

Look for security vulnerabilities first, then architecture, then style

Ask questions instead of making accusations ("What's the reason for...?" vs "This is wrong")

Suggest alternatives with code examples when possible

Acknowledge good patterns and clever solutions

𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭𝐬

Don’t nitpick about style if there's an automated linter

Don’t rewrite the code in your preferred style

Never make it personal, critique the code, not the coder

Don’t approve without actually reviewing

Don’t block PRs for minor issues

𝐀𝐬 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫:

𝐃𝐨'𝐬

Keep PRs small (under 400 lines when possible)

Add context in PR description (screenshots for UI changes)

Self-review before requesting others

Break down large changes into smaller PRs

Respond to comments within one business day

Add tests for new code

Document non-obvious decisions

𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭𝐬

Don’t take feedback personally

Don’t push back without explanation

Don’t mark conversations resolved without addressing them

Don’t submit PRs without testing locally

Don’t expect instant reviews for massive changes

You can add more, based on your experience.

Source: Tech with Mak