Code reviews are methodical assessments of code designed to identify bugs, increase code quality, and help developers learn from the source code. It is an examination, comment or approval from any interested parties.
What to review
Any part of the a software project can be reviewed:
- Planning
- Code
- Documentation
- Processes
- Management
- Specifications
Formal review
Fagan inspection
Conducted in the early stage to formalise the process of formal review. It involve breaking down the program development process into discrete operations or steps with pre-specified entry and exit criteria.
Error classification
During an inspection or review, one of the goals is to identify errors or defects in the software or document being examined. The results are analysed for continuous process improvements.
- Identify error by type: Errors are categorised into different types based on their natures, such as: syntax errors, logic errors, security vulnerabilities or usability issues.
- Rank error by frequency: Determine how often each error occurs, this helps prioritise the resolution of errors based on their impact on the project.
- Identify which types to spend most time: Not all error types are equally important, once errors are identified and ranked, you can examine what type of error are the most critical, this ensures that you focus your efforts where they can make the most significant improvements.
Typical operations
Fagan inspection emphasises clear objectives for each inspection, inspection team focuses on a single aspect during each review process.
A typical Fagan inspection consists of the following operations:
Planning
The initial stage of the inspection process, at this stage the inspection team defines the overall plan for the review, including: preparation of the materials, arranging of participants and arranging of meeting places.
Overview
Group education is conducted where participants learn about the purpose, context, and specific objectives of the inspection. At this stage, roles will be assigned to participants, such as: the moderator, author, and reviewers.
Preparation
In this phase, participants review the materials to be inspected individually and prepare for the meetings.
Key activities:
- Review the item under inspection and any related supporting materials.
- Document any questions, concerns, or possible defects.
- Prepare the assigned roles, such as a reviewer preparing to provide feedback.
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