Code Review Techniques

Posted by thenewsgiraffe on August 31st, 2017

Understanding Code Review

Code review refers to a very important part of software development process wherein the code written by the developers is reviewed for correctness with respect to various parameters. Code review is also referred to as code inspection or code analysis. The code review methodology could be to get code reviewed by peers, seniors or with the help of tools.

How it Helps

This is an established practice in the software industry and has been found to improve code quality a lot. As humans, we tend to make mistakes and developers are human too. The only issue with the errors made by developers is that they can prove to be costly, if not corrected timely. So, as part of code review techniques, the code is thoroughly scanned to pinpoint any issues and potential vulnerabilities. This is the digital age and hacking is on the rise. Code security is, hence, a huge concern. It is important that developers learn to write secure code with no vulnerabilities that may provide leeway to hackers.

Apart from the security aspect, there is no doubt that using a code checker helps in streamlining the complete software development process. It also contributes to saving time and money for the organization. Even a few errors that may slip through can prove to be extremely costly for the organization, both in terms of money and reputation. The benefits of following a good code review process by far outweigh the expense this may incur.

Tools

There are many code inspection tools that are prevalent in the industry today that can be adapted by organizations. The range of code review is extensive and so are the options available in the tools. The right choice depends on your needs. If you are dealing with software that provides no scope for error at all, then perhaps you should pick up code review toolsthat assist you in implementing this. Industries like Avionics and Healthcare fall under this umbrella.

For most other software, one may look at other lightweight code review techniques and tools that can help improve code quality without burning a hole in the pocket. There are many organizations that still prefer on manual, peer code reviews. If this has consistently provided you the right results, then perhaps that is sufficient. However, when it is humans who do the review, error slippages cannot be avoided. So, it may safer and wiser to understand the options and choose suitable code inspection tools.