Code Review: Best Practices from Pluralsight

This course will teach you concrete soft skill tips that you can start using immediately both as a reviewee and a reviewer.

Code Review is an essential part of the software development process, but it can be counterproductive if done wrong. In this course, Code Review: Best Practices, you'll learn the essential soft skills necessary for Code Reviews. First, you'll explore the Code Review process fundamentals that should be put in place before the first review even happens. Next, you'll discover how to prepare and submit the best possible Pull Request, as well as how to react to review comments. Finally, you'll change hats, become a reviewer, and learn how to provide constructive, positive feedback to improve code quality and get the Pull Request merged as fast as reasonably possible. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the soft skills and knowledge needed to productively participate on code reviews.

Code review is the practice of having one or many people review someone's written code to help identify any potential mistakes or problems. It's a type of quality assurance that ensures the code is solid.

Code review has proven to streamline the software development process. It improves the quality of the code, encourages more reliable coding techniques, fosters improved documentation of the code, and simplifies QA testing.

You will learn the essential skills necessary for code reviews. Some topics covered include:

This course is great for anyone who wants to learn how to prepare their code for review through pull requests, as well as how to conduct a code review themselves. If you're looking to improve the quality of your code, then these code review best practices are for you.

Prior to taking this course, it would be most effective if you were familiar with one or several programming languages. If you have coded before and have read others' codes, then you are ready to dive into this code review course.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Why Code Reviews Exist

Establishing the Fundamental Processes for Code Reviews

Submitting a Great Pull Request

Providing Effective Feedback as a Reviewer

Navigating Challenging Code Review Situations

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Teaches essential soft skills for productive code review participation

Provides step-by-step guidance for preparing and submitting Pull Requests and providing constructive feedback

Covers fundamental processes for establishing effective code review practices

Helps improve the quality of code, coding techniques, and documentation

Enhances the code review process for both reviewers and reviewees

Taught by instructors recognized for their expertise in code review

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Code Review: Best Practices with these activities:

Organize course materials

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Organize and review course materials, including lecture notes, assignments, and practice questions, to enhance your understanding and retention.

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Create a dedicated study space
Establish a filing system for materials
Review and highlight key concepts from lecture notes
Organize assignments and practice questions by topic

Review software development concepts

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Review foundational software development and programming concepts to strengthen your understanding of core principles.

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Revisit basic data structures and algorithms
Re-familiarize yourself with object-oriented programming concepts
Review design patterns and software architecture principles

Connect with experienced code reviewers

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Seek guidance and insights from experienced code reviewers to enhance your understanding and skills.

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Attend industry events and meetups
Connect with professionals on LinkedIn
Reach out to potential mentors via email or messaging

Five other activities

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Explore best practices for code reviews

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Seek out and follow online tutorials and resources on code review techniques and best practices to enhance your knowledge and skills.

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Identify reputable sources for code review tutorials
Follow step-by-step guides on conducting effective code reviews
Practice applying best practices in mock code reviews

Host a code review study group

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Collaborate with peers to review code, discuss best practices, and provide constructive feedback.

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Form a study group with fellow course participants
Establish regular meeting times and a code review schedule
Take turns reviewing each other's code and providing feedback

Participate in code review exercises

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Engage in regular code review practice sessions to refine your skills, identify areas for improvement, and boost your confidence.

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Join a code review community or platform
Participate in code review challenges and contests
Offer to review code for peers or open-source projects

Develop a code review template

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Create a customized code review template to streamline the review process and ensure consistency.

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Identify common code review criteria
Design a template that includes sections for specific review aspects
Test and refine the template through practical use

Contribute to open-source code review tools

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Engage in open-source projects related to code review tools to gain practical experience and contribute to the community.

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Identify open-source code review projects that align with your interests
Review the project's documentation and codebase
Contribute bug fixes, feature enhancements, or documentation improvements

Career center

Learners who complete Code Review: Best Practices will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Software Architect

A software architect would benefit from this course because it can help equip them with the skills to ensure that code is of high quality and meets the requirements of the project. The ability to conduct effective code reviews is essential for software architects, as they are responsible for designing and overseeing the development of software systems.

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Software Development Manager

Software development managers would benefit highly from this Code Review course. Code review is a collaborative process that involves reviewing and providing feedback on code changes. As a software development manager, you will be responsible for overseeing the software development process, including code reviews. This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively conduct code reviews.

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Technical Lead

A technical lead would find this course helpful as it can enhance their abilities to guide and mentor junior developers in best coding practices. Additionally, the course may provide insights into best practices for code review processes and methodologies, which can be directly applied to their role.

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Software Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer

This course is highly recommended for software QA engineers as it can help them become more effective in their role by providing them with the skills and knowledge to understand code and identify potential defects. Code review is an important part of the software development process and QA engineers play a key role in ensuring that code is of high quality.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer

Senior Software Engineer

This course would be valuable to a senior software engineer as it can help to refine their understanding of code review best practices. Senior software engineers are often responsible for mentoring junior engineers and conducting code reviews. This course can provide them with the skills and knowledge necessary to do so effectively.

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Quality Assurance (QA) Tester

A QA tester can greatly benefit from this course as it can provide them with the necessary knowledge to understand the code review process and how to effectively participate in code reviews. By actively engaging in code reviews, QA testers can enhance their ability to identify and report defects.

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Software Developer

This course can be useful for software developers who want to improve their code review skills. Code review is an essential part of the software development process and it's critical to be able to provide constructive feedback in order to improve the quality of the code.

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Mobile Developer

This course may be helpful for mobile developers who want to learn more about code review best practices. Code review is an important part of the software development process, and it can help to identify and fix errors before they become bigger problems.

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Computer Programmer

This course may be helpful for computer programmers who want to learn more about code review best practices. Code review is an important part of the software development process, and it can help to identify and fix errors before they become bigger problems.

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Game Developer

This course may be helpful for game developers who want to learn more about code review best practices. Code review is an essential part of the software development process, and it can help to identify and fix errors before they become bigger problems.

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Web Developer

This course may be helpful for web developers who want to learn more about code review best practices. Code review is an essential part of the software development process, and it can help to identify and fix errors before they become bigger problems.

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Machine Learning Engineer

This course may be helpful for machine learning engineers who want to learn more about code review best practices. Code review is an important part of the software development process, and it can help to identify and fix errors before they become bigger problems.

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Data Scientist

This course may be useful for data scientists who want to learn more about code review best practices. Code review is an important part of the software development process, and it can help to identify and fix errors before they become bigger problems.

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DevOps Engineer

This course may be useful for DevOps engineers who want to learn more about code review best practices. Code review is an important part of the software development process, and it can help to identify and fix errors before they become bigger problems.

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Product Manager

This course may be useful for product managers who want to learn more about code review best practices. Code review is an essential part of the software development process, and it can help to ensure that the final product meets the needs of the users.

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