tomevault-io Code Review with Codex CLI
Performs automated code review using the codex CLI tool. Supports reviewing uncommitted local changes or comparing changes against a base branch.
Overview
This skill uses the codex CLI to analyze code changes and provide feedback on:
- Code quality and best practices
- Potential bugs or issues
- Security concerns
- Suggestions for improvement
Two Review Modes
1. Uncommitted Changes Review
Review all uncommitted changes in your working directory (staged and unstaged).
Command:
codex review --uncommitted
Use when:
- You want to review changes before committing
- You're doing a self-review before creating a PR
- You want quick feedback on work in progress
2. Branch Comparison Review
Review all changes between your current branch and a base branch (typically main).
Command:
# First, generate a diff of changes since the base branch
codex review --base "${BASE_BRANCH}"
Use when:
- You're preparing a pull request
- You want to review all work done on a feature branch
- You need a comprehensive review before merging
Usage Instructions
Step 1: Determine Review Scope
Determine the type of review.:
- Uncommitted changes - Review local modifications not yet committed
- Branch comparison - Review all commits on current branch vs a base branch before opening a Pull Request (PR)
Step 2: Execute the Review
See code examples above for how to run.
Step 3: Present Results
Summarize the codex review output for the user, highlighting:
- Critical issues that must be fixed
- Warnings that should be addressed
- Suggestions for improvement
- Overall assessment
Examples
Example 1: Review Uncommitted Changes
User says: "Review my uncommitted changes"
Execute:
codex review --uncommitted
Sample output interpretation:
Codex found the following issues:
CRITICAL:
- Line 45 in src/auth.js: SQL query uses string concatenation - potential SQL injection vulnerability
WARNINGS:
- Line 23 in src/utils.js: Missing null check before accessing property
- Line 89 in src/api.js: Hardcoded timeout value should be configurable
SUGGESTIONS:
- Consider adding input validation in handleSubmit function
- The error messages could be more descriptive for debugging
Example 2: Review Changes Since Main Branch
User says: "Review my branch changes before I create a PR"
Execute:
# Determine base branch
BASE_BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref origin/HEAD) # Almost always "main"
codex review --base ${BASE_BRANCH}
Best Practices
- Run before committing: Use uncommitted review as a pre-commit check
- Run before PRs: Use branch review before creating pull requests against default in
- Specify focus areas: If you know what to look for, tell codex (e.g., "focus on security" or "check error handling")
- Review large changes in parts: For very large diffs, consider reviewing file-by-file
- Act on critical issues: Always address critical security or bug findings before merging
Troubleshooting
"No changes found"
- For uncommitted: Ensure you have modified files (
git status) - For branch comparison: Ensure your branch has commits ahead of base (
git log main..HEAD)
Large diffs timing out
For very large changes, review specific files:
codex --approval-mode full-auto "Review changes in src/components/"
Checklist
Before completing the review, ensure:
- Review mode selected (uncommitted or branch comparison)
- Base branch confirmed (if doing branch comparison)
- Codex review executed successfully
- Results summarized with severity levels
- Critical issues highlighted to user
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