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- Code reviews

I have to take issue with this one. Code (and Requirements, and Design) reviews, when done properly probably have the greatest impact in improving product quality. No, I don't have time to look up the SEI research on the subject, but it has been consistently shown to be true.

Part of the problem I had with the article was that Shirley was rejecting code for non-specific reasons. You can't say "it's not written down anywhere." If it's important enough to reject the code, it's important enough to write down.



I like code reviews for higher level concerns - new class hierarchies, big pieces of refactoring, new areas of functionality etc.

However, I don't see as much value in reviewing low level changes such as one liners or odd bug fixes.

Making code reviews mandatory is too much overhead and too inflexible for me.


We have mandatory code reviews for all changes and I think it works quite well. A person making a one or two line bugfix may think it's quite innocuous but it may have a bigger impact on other parts of the system than they realize. Many eyes help reduce the likelihood of that.


Mozilla and Google require code reviews of all code changes.

Here are some notes about Firefox's code review process:

https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/Code_Review

https://wiki.mozilla.org/User:GavinSharp/Code_Review


I dunno... the odd bug fix has the potential to really screw things up, when the person fixing it isn't the person who wrote it originally, or it's been months since then.




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