Have you ever done a code review? Most developers haven’t. It doesn’t seem to be a regular practice in many parts of the software industry, yet by ignoring the importance of code reviews we miss out on the benefits that they can provide.
My friend and former co-worker Sri has written an article about code reviews that was published on java.net today. Here’s a teaser:
Need to be sure your program really runs right? Oh sure, testing’s a part of it, but so are code reviews. Sri Sankaran argues that research and experience prove that a standardized, effective code review process mitigates costs and produces better code.
Coming from an agile development background, I’ve participated in several code reviews myself. Properly used they can be an effective way to ensure that the software being shipped is solid, and that the team is on the same page when it comes to standards and organization.