Code Reviewing Skill — Quick Reference
This skill provides operational checklists and prompts for structured code review across languages and stacks. Use it when the primary task is reviewing existing code rather than designing new systems.
Quick Reference
| Review Type | Focus Areas | Key Checklist | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security Review | Auth, input validation, secrets, OWASP Top 10 | software-security-appsec | Security-critical code, API endpoints |
| Supply Chain Review | Dependencies, lockfiles, licenses, SBOM, CI policies | dev-dependency-management | Dependency bumps, build/CI changes |
| Performance Review | N+1 queries, algorithms, caching, hot paths | DB queries, loops, memory allocation | High-traffic features, bottlenecks |
| Correctness Review | Logic, edge cases, error handling, tests | Boundary conditions, null checks, retries | Business logic, data transformations |
| Maintainability Review | Naming, complexity, duplication, readability | Function length, naming clarity, DRY | Complex modules, shared code |
| Test Review | Coverage, edge cases, flakiness, assertions | Test quality, missing scenarios | New features, refactors |
| Frontend Review | Accessibility, responsive design, performance | frontend-review.md | UI/UX changes |
| Backend Review | API design, error handling, database patterns | api-review.md | API endpoints, services |
| Blockchain Review | Reentrancy, access control, gas optimization | crypto-review.md | Smart contracts, DeFi protocols |
Specialized:.NET/EF Core Crypto Integration
Skip unless reviewing C#/.NET crypto/fintech services using Entity Framework Core.
For C#/.NET crypto/fintech services using Entity Framework Core, see:
- references/dotnet-efcore-crypto-rules.md — Complete review rules (correctness, security, async, EF Core, tests, MRs)
Key rules summary:
- Review only new/modified code in the MR
- Use
decimalfor financial values, UTC for dates - Follow
CC-SEC-03(no secrets in code) andCC-OBS-02(no sensitive data in logs) - Async for I/O, pass
CancellationToken, avoid.Result/.Wait()(seeCC-ERR-04,CC-FLOW-03) - EF Core:
AsNoTrackingfor reads, avoid N+1, no dynamic SQL Result<T>pattern for explicit success/fail
When to Use This Skill
Invoke this skill when the user asks to:
- Review a pull request or diff for issues
- Audit code for security vulnerabilities or injection risks
- Improve readability, structure, and maintainability
- Suggest targeted refactors without changing behavior
- Validate tests and edge-case coverage
When NOT to Use This Skill
- System design or architecture: Use software-architecture-design for greenfield architecture decisions
- Writing new code from scratch: This skill reviews existing code, not authoring new features
- Deep security audits: For penetration testing or comprehensive security assessments, use software-security-appsec
- Deep performance investigations: For profiling/observability, use qa-observability and for SQL/query tuning use data-sql-optimization
Decision Tree: Selecting Review Mode
Code review task: [What to Focus On?]
├─ Security-critical changes?
│ ├─ Auth/access control → Security Review (OWASP, auth patterns)
│ ├─ User input handling → Input validation, XSS, SQL injection
│ └─ Smart contracts → Blockchain Review (reentrancy, access control)
│
├─ Performance concerns?
│ ├─ Database queries → Check for N+1, missing indexes
│ ├─ Loops/algorithms → Complexity analysis, caching
│ └─ API response times → Profiling, lazy loading
│
├─ Correctness issues?
│ ├─ Business logic → Edge cases, error handling, tests
│ ├─ Data transformations → Boundary conditions, null checks
│ └─ Integration points → Retry logic, timeouts, fallbacks
│
├─ Maintainability problems?
│ ├─ Complex code → Naming, function length, duplication
│ ├─ Hard to understand → Comments, abstractions, clarity
│ └─ Technical debt → Refactoring suggestions
│
├─ Test coverage gaps?
│ ├─ New features → Happy path + error cases
│ ├─ Refactors → Regression tests
│ └─ Bug fixes → Reproduction tests
│
└─ Stack-specific review?
├─ Frontend → [frontend-review.md](assets/web-frontend/frontend-review.md)
├─ Backend → [api-review.md](assets/backend-api/api-review.md)
├─ Mobile → [mobile-review.md](assets/mobile/mobile-review.md)
├─ Infrastructure → [infrastructure-review.md](assets/infrastructure/infrastructure-review.md)
└─ Blockchain → [crypto-review.md](assets/blockchain/crypto-review.md)Multi-Mode Reviews:
For complex PRs, apply multiple review modes sequentially:
- Security first (P0/P1 issues)
- Correctness (logic, edge cases)
- Performance (if applicable)
- Maintainability (P2/P3 suggestions)
Async Review Workflows (2026)
Timezone-Friendly Reviews
| Practice | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Review windows | Define 4-hour overlap windows |
| Review rotation | Assign reviewers across timezones |
| Async communication | Use PR comments, not DMs |
| Review SLAs | 24-hour initial response, 48-hour completion |
Non-Blocking Reviews
PR Submitted -> Auto-checks (CI) -> Async Review -> Merge
| | |
Author continues If green, Reviewer comments
on other work queue for when available
reviewAnti-patterns:
- Synchronous review meetings for routine PRs
- Blocking on reviewer availability for non-critical changes
- Single reviewer bottleneck
Review Prioritization Matrix
| Priority | Criteria | SLA |
|---|---|---|
| P0 | Security fix, production incident | 4 hours |
| P1 | Bug fix, blocking dependency | 24 hours |
| P2 | Feature work, tech debt | 48 hours |
| P3 | Documentation, refactoring | 72 hours |
Optional: AI/Automation Extensions
Note: AI-assisted review tools. Human review remains authoritative.
AI Review Assistants
| Tool | Use Case | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot PR | Summary, suggestions | May miss context |
| CodeRabbit | Automated PR review comments | Requires human validation |
| Qodo | Test generation + review, 15+ workflows | Enterprise pricing |
| OpenAI Codex | System-level codebase context | API integration required |
| AWS Security Agent | OWASP Top 10, policy violations | Preview only (2026) |
| Endor Labs AI SAST | AI-assisted SAST | Security-focused |
| Graphite | PR stacking, stack-aware merge queue | Process, not content |
AI assistant rules:
- AI suggestions are advisory only
- Human reviewer approves/rejects
- AI cannot bypass security review
- AI findings require manual verification
AI Review Checklist
- AI suggestions validated against codebase patterns
- AI-flagged issues manually confirmed
- False positives documented for tool improvement
- Human reviewer explicitly approved
Simplicity and Complexity Control
- Prefer existing, battle-tested libraries over bespoke implementations when behavior is identical.
- Flag avoidable complexity early: remove dead/commented-out code, collapse duplication, and extract single-responsibility helpers.
- Call out premature optimization; favor clarity and measured, evidence-based tuning.
- Encourage incremental refactors alongside reviews to keep modules small, predictable, and aligned to standards.
Operational Playbooks
Shared Foundation
- ../software-clean-code-standard/references/clean-code-standard.md - Canonical clean code rules (
CC-*) for citation in reviews - Legacy playbook: ../software-clean-code-standard/references/code-quality-operational-playbook.md -
RULE-01–RULE-13, refactoring decision trees, and design patterns
Code Review Specific
- references/operational-playbook.md — Review scope rules, severity ratings (P0-P3), checklists, modes, and PR workflow patterns
Default Review Output (Agent-Facing)
When producing a review, default to:
- Short summary of intent + risk
- Findings grouped by
P0/P1/P2/P3(mark REQUIRED vs OPTIONAL) - Concrete suggestions (minimal diffs or test cases)
- Follow-up questions when requirements or constraints are unclear
Use assets/core/review-comment-guidelines.md for comment style and labeling.
Navigation
Resources
- references/operational-playbook.md
- references/review-checklist-comprehensive.md
- references/implementing-effective-code-reviews-checklist.md
- references/looks-good-to-me-checklist.md
- references/automation-tools.md
- references/dotnet-efcore-crypto-rules.md
- references/psychological-safety-guide.md
- references/large-pr-review-strategies.md
- references/security-focused-review-guide.md
- references/code-review-metrics.md
Templates
- assets/core/pull-request-description-template.md
- assets/core/review-checklist-judgment.md
- assets/core/review-comment-guidelines.md
- assets/backend-api/api-review.md
- assets/web-frontend/frontend-review.md
- assets/mobile/mobile-review.md
- assets/infrastructure/infrastructure-review.md
- assets/blockchain/crypto-review.md
- assets/data-ml/data-pipeline-review.md
- assets/data-ml/experiment-tracking-review.md
- assets/data-ml/ml-model-review.md
- assets/data-ml/ml-deployment-review.md
Data
- data/sources.json — Curated external references
- Shared checklists: ../software-clean-code-standard/assets/checklists/secure-code-review-checklist.md, ../software-clean-code-standard/assets/checklists/backend-api-review-checklist.md
Trend Awareness Protocol
IMPORTANT: When users ask recommendation questions about code review tools, practices, or automation, you MUST use WebSearch to check current trends before answering.
Trigger Conditions
- "What's the best code review tool?"
- "What should I use for [automated code review/PR automation]?"
- "What's the latest in code review practices?"
- "Current best practices for [code review/PR workflow]?"
- "Is [GitHub Copilot PR/CodeRabbit] still relevant in 2026?"
- "[CodeRabbit] vs [Graphite] vs [other]?"
- "Best AI code review assistant?"
Required Searches
- Search:
"code review best practices 2026" - Search:
"[specific tool] vs alternatives 2026" - Search:
"AI code review tools January 2026" - Search:
"PR automation trends 2026"
What to Report
After searching, provide:
- Current landscape: What code review tools/practices are popular NOW
- Emerging trends: New AI assistants, PR tools, or review patterns gaining traction
- Deprecated/declining: Tools/approaches losing relevance or support
- Recommendation: Based on fresh data, not just static knowledge
Example Topics (verify with fresh search)
- AI code review (GitHub Copilot PR, CodeRabbit, Cursor)
- PR automation (Graphite, Stacked PRs, merge queues)
- Code review platforms (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket)
- Review bots and automation
- Async review practices for distributed teams
- Review metrics and analytics tools
Fact-Checking
- Use web search/web fetch to verify current external facts, versions, pricing, deadlines, regulations, or platform behavior before final answers.
- Prefer primary sources; report source links and dates for volatile information.
- If web access is unavailable, state the limitation and mark guidance as unverified.