tomevault-io Receiving Code Review Skill
How to handle review feedback with technical rigor, not performative agreement.
When to Apply
- After receiving code-reviewer agent output
- PR review comments from teammates or external reviewers
- External feedback on implementation decisions
- When told to "address review comments" or "fix review feedback"
Response Pattern
READ -> UNDERSTAND -> VERIFY -> EVALUATE -> RESPOND -> IMPLEMENT
READ
Read the full review. Don't skim, don't react immediately. Take in every comment before acting on any of them. Later comments may contradict or contextualize earlier ones.
UNDERSTAND
For each issue, understand what's actually being flagged. Restate in your own words: "This comment is about X because Y." If you can't restate it, you don't understand it yet.
VERIFY
Check if the reviewer's claim is factually correct. Read the code they reference. Don't assume they're right or wrong -- look at the actual code at {file}:{line}.
EVALUATE
Is this a real issue? Does the suggested fix actually improve things? Is the effort justified given the impact? Not all feedback requires action.
RESPOND
Technical response only:
- Agree with reasoning: "Correct. The null check is missing at line X. Fixing."
- Disagree with evidence: "The review flags X, but
{file}:{line}shows Y handles this case." - Ask for clarification: "The comment suggests X. Is the concern about safety or performance?"
IMPLEMENT
Fix in order: clarify unclear items -> blocking issues -> simple fixes -> complex fixes. Test each fix independently before moving to the next.
Forbidden Responses
These responses indicate you're people-pleasing, not engineering:
- "You're absolutely right!" -- Performative agreement without understanding
- "Great point!" -- Flattery is not technical discourse
- "I'll fix that right away!" -- Understand before acting
- "Of course, makes total sense!" -- Does it? Or are you people-pleasing?
Instead: "The review identifies X. Checking... [evidence]. This is correct because [reason]. Fixing."
Or: "The review suggests X, but [counter-evidence]. Keeping current approach because [reason]."
Source-Specific Handling
| Source | Trust Level | Response Style |
|---|---|---|
| Human partner | High context | Clarify intent, implement thoughtfully |
| External reviewer | Medium context | Verify claims against code, ask about unknowns |
| code-reviewer agent | Systematic but no context | Cross-reference with requirements, verify specifics |
When to Push Back
- Technically incorrect -- "The review suggests X, but the code at
{file}:{line}shows Y" - YAGNI -- "This adds complexity for a hypothetical scenario. Current implementation handles all existing cases"
- Breaks existing functionality -- "This change would break {specific behavior} because {evidence}"
- Missing context -- "The review assumes X, but the requirement specifies Y (see {reference})"
Pushing back is not adversarial. It's quality control. Reviewers benefit from knowing when their feedback misses context.
Implementation Order
- Clarify unclear items first (don't build on misunderstanding)
- Blocking/critical issues (things that prevent the code from working)
- Simple fixes (typos, naming, formatting)
- Complex fixes (refactors, architectural changes)
- Test each fix independently
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Why It's Wrong | Do This Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Fix everything without reading all comments | Later comments may contradict earlier ones | Read ALL comments first |
| Performative agreement | Hides misunderstanding | Respond with technical reasoning |
| Batch all fixes in one commit | Can't isolate if something breaks | One logical change per commit |
| Skip re-testing after fixes | Fixes introduce new bugs | Test after every change |
| Ignore minor issues | They accumulate | Fix or explicitly defer with reason |
The Bottom Line
Review feedback is data, not judgment. Evaluate it technically, respond with evidence, implement with discipline.
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