Code Review

Code Review with Confidence Filtering

Overview

Review code for bugs, quality issues, and project conventions with confidence-based filtering. Only reports HIGH confidence issues to reduce noise.

Core principle: Review early, review often. Filter out false positives.

When to Request Review

Mandatory:

• After each task in subagent-driven development
• After completing major feature
• Before merge to main

Optional but valuable:

• When stuck (fresh perspective)
• Before refactoring (baseline check)
• After fixing complex bug

Confidence Scoring

Each identified issue receives a confidence score (0-100):

Threshold: 80+ - Only issues scoring 80 or higher are reported.

Filter Out

• Pre-existing problems (not introduced in this change)
• Linter-catchable issues (let the linter handle it)
• Pedantic nitpicks (style preferences without substance)
• Hypothetical edge cases (unlikely to occur in practice)

Review Categories

1. Simplicity/DRY/Elegance

• Code duplication
• Unnecessary complexity
• Missed abstractions
• Overly clever code

2. Bugs/Correctness

• Logic errors
• Edge case handling
• Type safety issues
• Error handling gaps

3. Conventions/Abstractions

• Project pattern compliance
• Naming conventions
• File organization
• Import patterns

Output Format

## Code Review: [Feature/PR Name]

### Summary

[1-2 sentences on overall quality]

### Critical Issues (Must Fix)

_Issues with confidence 90+_

#### Issue 1: [Title]

- **File**: `path/to/file.ts:line`
- **Confidence**: 95/100
- **Category**: Bug/Correctness
- **Description**: What's wrong
- **Fix**: How to fix it

### Important Issues (Should Fix)

_Issues with confidence 80-89_

#### Issue 2: [Title]

- **File**: `path/to/file.ts:line`
- **Confidence**: 82/100
- **Category**: Conventions
- **Description**: What's wrong
- **Fix**: How to fix it

### Assessment

**Ready to merge?** Yes / No / With fixes

**Reasoning**: [1-2 sentences explaining the assessment]

### Quality Score: [X/10]

How to Request Review

1. Get git SHAs:

BASE_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD~1)  # or origin/main
HEAD_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)

2. Dispatch code-reviewer subagent:

• What was implemented
• Plan or requirements reference
• Base and head commits
• Brief description

3. Act on feedback:

• Fix Critical issues immediately
• Fix Important issues before proceeding
• Note Minor issues for later
• Push back if reviewer is wrong (with reasoning)

Parallel Review

Launch 3 code-reviewer agents in parallel with different focuses:

1. Simplicity Focus: DRY, elegance, unnecessary complexity
2. Correctness Focus: Bugs, edge cases, error handling
3. Conventions Focus: Project patterns, naming, organization

Consolidate findings and filter by confidence threshold.

Red Flags

Never:

• Skip review because "it's simple"
• Ignore Critical issues
• Proceed with unfixed Important issues
• Argue with valid technical feedback

If reviewer wrong:

• Push back with technical reasoning
• Show code/tests that prove it works
• Request clarification

Key Principle

"Ask what you want to do" - After presenting issues, ask the user how to proceed rather than making assumptions.

Receiving Code Review Feedback

This section covers how to respond to review feedback, not how to give it.

The Process

Feedback Received → Read ALL → Verify → Evaluate → Implement → Respond

Step 1: Read ALL Comments Before Implementing ANY

Items may be related. Partial understanding = wrong implementation.

• Read every comment completely
• Note dependencies between suggestions
• Understand the reviewer's overall intent
• Don't react until you've read everything

Step 2: Verify Against Actual Code

Don't assume the reviewer is right. Check:

For each suggestion:
  - Does this code path actually exist?
  - Does the suggested fix compile/work?
  - Will it break existing functionality?
  - Is the edge case real or hypothetical?

Step 3: Evaluate Technical Soundness

Push back on technically questionable suggestions:

Disagree with technical reasoning, not emotion. If you're right, show evidence.

Step 4: Implement Strategically

Order matters:

1. Blocking issues first - Things that prevent merge
2. Simple fixes next - Quick wins to show progress
3. Complex refactoring last - Needs more thought

One commit per logical change. Makes it easier for re-review.

Step 5: Respond to Each Comment

What NOT to Do

Performative Agreement:

BAD: "Great point! You're absolutely right! I'll fix that immediately!"
GOOD: "Fixed" or "Good catch" or just the fix itself

Actions demonstrate engagement better than words.

Blind Implementation:

BAD: Immediately implementing every suggestion without verification
GOOD: Verify suggestion makes sense for YOUR codebase, then implement

Defensive Reactions:

BAD: "Well actually, I wrote it this way because..."
GOOD: "Here's why I chose this approach: [technical reason]. Does that change your recommendation?"

When Reviewer is Wrong

It happens. Handle professionally:

1. Verify you understand - Restate their concern
2. Show evidence - Code, tests, docs that support your approach
3. Offer alternative - "Would X address your concern while keeping Y?"
4. Escalate if needed - Get another opinion

Don't:

• Silently ignore feedback
• Implement something you know is wrong
• Get emotional or defensive

Red Flags in Your Own Behavior

Stop if you're:

• Implementing without understanding
• Agreeing to avoid conflict
• Skipping comments you don't like
• Getting frustrated at reviewer
• Thinking "they don't understand the code"

Cross-References

• Testing feedback: Review tests as rigorously as code (see pop-test-driven-development)
• Debugging from feedback: If review reveals bug, use pop-systematic-debugging
• Root cause: Don't just fix symptoms reviewer points out, trace to root cause