The Art of Code Review

Code reviews are conversations, not inspections. The goal is not to find bugs — that is what automated tests are for. The goal is to share knowledge, maintain consistency, and catch design problems before they calcify.

The best reviewers ask questions rather than making demands. 'Have you considered handling the null case here?' opens a dialogue. 'Add a null check' closes one. Questions respect the author's context and often reveal that the reviewer is missing information.

Review the design, not just the diff. A function that works perfectly might still be the wrong abstraction. Step back and ask: does this change fit the architecture? Does it introduce concepts that will confuse future readers? Code review is your last chance to catch design decisions before they become load-bearing.