Code review is a process where before some code changes get into the main branch or before it gets deployed it needs to be reviewed by the team.
This usually happens when someone creates a pull request (PR), you or another member on the team will need to review it to make sure everything looks good. Either the reviewers approve and merge it to the main branch or reject and make some new changes.
Code review helps you avoid common mistakes and also standardizes common patterns across the team.
Code review doesn’t create perfect software but it allows you to create better software.
Code review makes you a better software engineer not just technically but also personally.
Allow me to go further in explaining why code review might be something you need.
The Importance of Code Review
If you are working on a team, the importance of code review can already be seen. This is one of the ways to set the standards and to make sure the consistency of the code is followed.
You don’t like maintaining inconsistent or un-linted codes, don’t you?
What do I mean by setting the standards?
When a new developer came up to the team, the developer doesn’t have the idea or the background of what coding style to apply. The developer might come from a background that doesn’t do this or do this thing but the new team that he/she joined might do another approach. This where we set the ground rules on what we should do and what should we not do on our codebase.
Coding style guidelines might be helpful but all of those are just in guidelines. It is still different if you are applying or practicing it.
Code review allows you to catch design errors as well like in architectural or functional level perspective. A lot of things can be caught and be avoided during code reviews that’s why it is that important.
Code review isn’t just for teams. You can apply it personally too if you like. You can create pull requests (PR) and then you can review them so you can see if you’ve made reasonable changes. It is not limited to the teams. You can also apply it on your own and create a unique workflow for you.
Creating A Perfect Software
Now that we’ve got a better idea of what is code review and why is it important.
You might ask, does code review allows you to create perfect software?
Does code review create software that doesn’t crash, hangs, or submits the form properly?
Code review allows you to prevent those things from happening but it doesn’t allow you to create perfect software that doesn’t crash or goes abnormal. It allows you to prevent that from happening most of the time.
There is no perfect software that exists. There is no software that doesn’t have any bugs, at least based on my limited experience.
If perfect software is something you want, you’ll be disappointed.
Code review doesn’t create perfect software but it allows you to create better software.
The Gifts from Code Reviewing
I’ve shared with you the importance of code review, if it does creates a perfect system which it does not and now I’m going to share with you the gifts from doing code reviews.
I remembered during my early years as a developer when I started doing code reviews. I was struggling to understand why it was coded this way, that way, and designed like it.
I had a conversation with someone about my struggles to review that I can still remember today. This person told me that your struggles will be gone as long as you continue doing them. The time will come that you’ll know why the developer did that, what was the developer thinking and what is the better approach to do, he continued. I was speechless and don’t have any clue what this person is telling me.
After many years have passed. Now I know what this person is telling me. I can now get a bigger picture or an idea of what is happening on the code. I am not clueless anymore.
I’m now enjoying doing code reviews for a better reason and for the gift it is giving within.
Code review allows you to share the knowledge from the team. It allows you to share the experiences you’ve learned from the past, it allows you to share how to create better and not perfect software. This is not just it. Code review allows you to learn from it too. It allows you to see different approaches, reasoning, and new ideas on how to do certain things.
Those are the gifts you get from doing code reviews. You share and you learn from doing it. You inspire and learn from doing it. You develop not just your technical skills about the programming language but also your communication skills on how you can express it through text/code-based styles.
There are many benefits and gifts you can get from doing code reviews. It is not just about making you a better developer, it is also about making you a better individual.
Bringing It All Together
Code review is a process that most teams should have as it helps you create better software and avoid common disasters.
As my great friend, Mary Grace Garcia told me in our previous conversation she encourages everyone to do code reviews because you’ll learn about the coding styles, what the technologies the project uses, and also the ability to share what you’ve learned with others.
If you haven’t tried code reviewing, try it because it will help you see things a lot differently. It might also be the key to how to excel on your next tasks or projects.
Looking forward to hearing more from you.
May you reach your dreams.
