code-review-patterns_skill

Overview

This skill codifies a practical, two-stage code review pattern focused on verifying functionality first, then quality. It provides compact checklists for rapid reviews, security, performance, UX, and accessibility. Use it to produce consistent, actionable review feedback with file:line citations and concrete fixes. The goal is fewer regressions and clearer reviewer decisions.

How this skill works

Reviewers follow a strict Stage 1 → Stage 2 flow: first confirm spec compliance and functional correctness, then run a prioritized quality review (security, correctness, performance, maintainability, UX, accessibility). Use the provided quick checklist for short reviews and the deeper security/performance/UX checklists for comprehensive reviews. Always group findings by priority and include explicit fix examples and file:line citations.

When to use it

• Pull requests that change behavior or business logic
• Hotfix or bugfix reviews where regression risk is high
• Feature work requiring acceptance-criteria verification
• Security-sensitive changes (auth, data handling, secrets)
• Performance-sensitive changes (DB, loops, caching)

Best practices

• Run Stage 1 every time — confirm spec and tests before commenting on style
• Organize feedback by priority: Critical → Warnings → Suggestions
• Always include file:line references and exact fix examples
• Check security checklist (OWASP) for any user input or auth flow
• Avoid style nitpicks until functionality and safety are verified

Example use cases

• Reviewing a backend API change: verify acceptance criteria, run tests, then check SQL queries and auth
• Assessing a UI PR: confirm flows work, then review loading/error states and accessibility
• Evaluating a performance patch: confirm correctness, then inspect for N+1 patterns and caching opportunities
• Security review of credential handling: run Stage 1, then check for hardcoded secrets and missing auth checks