code review

/koʊd rɪˈvjuː/

noun phrase★Intermediate

💻Technology

technical

A systematic examination of source code by peers to identify bugs, improve quality, and share knowledge

During the code review, the developer found a critical security vulnerability.

The review process helped catch a serious security flaw.

Code reviews are essential for maintaining high-quality software.

They ensure the codebase remains clean and efficient.

💡

Often performed before code is merged into the main branch in version control systems.

Collocations

peer code reviewreview conducted by colleaguesautomated code reviewreview performed by toolspull request reviewreview of proposed changes

code refactoringphrase

restructuring code without changing functionality

pair programmingphrase

two developers working together on the same code

Focus on constructive feedback, not personal criticism. Use tools like GitHub or Gerrit for tracking.

Code reviews should improve code quality without discouraging collaboration.

From 'code' (computer instructions) + 'review' (examination). Popularized in software development in the 1970s.

Common in agile development workflows. Can be formal (structured) or informal (casual).

code

computer instructions written in a programming language

root

review

a formal examination or assessment

root

English Dictionary