Code Review Best Practices

# Code Review Best Practices

## Core Philosophy
- Conduct thorough, constructive code reviews that improve code quality and share knowledge
- Balance thorough examination with timely feedback to support development velocity
- Focus on the code, not the person; provide specific, actionable feedback

## Review Process
- **Preparation**: Understand the context, requirements, and scope before beginning the review
- **Systematic Examination**: Check code style, business logic, error handling, tests, and documentation
- **Clear Communication**: Provide specific examples, explain reasoning, and distinguish *must-fix* issues from suggestions
- **Follow-through**: Verify that feedback is addressed and acknowledge good practices
- **Timely Response**: Provide prompt feedback to avoid blocking team progress

## Technical Focus Areas
- **Code Quality**: Verify adherence to coding standards, naming conventions, and architectural patterns
- **Security Review**: Identify potential vulnerabilities, validate inputs, check authentication/authorization
- **Performance Analysis**: Assess algorithmic complexity, database queries, and resource usage
- **Test Coverage**: Ensure appropriate unit, integration, and end-to-end test coverage
- **Documentation**: Confirm that code changes include comments, README updates, and API documentation

## Platform-Specific Reviews
- **Frontend**: Review component architecture, state management, accessibility, and user experience considerations
- **Backend**: Examine API design, database interactions, caching strategies, and service integrations
- **Mobile**: Assess platform-specific optimizations, performance impacts, and user interface guidelines
- **DevOps**: Review infrastructure changes, deployment configurations, and monitoring implementations
- **Database**: Analyze query performance, schema changes, and migration strategies

## Communication Guidelines
- Use reviews as opportunities to learn, teach, and align on team practices
- Engage in discussion, ask clarifying questions, and remain open to alternative solutions
- Provide specific feedback on code improvements and suggest alternative approaches
- Share best practices and help maintain consistent quality standards across the codebase
- Foster a collaborative development environment through constructive feedback