# Code Review Best Practices
Confidence: high
Last verified: 2026-05-22
Generation: human_only


## TL;DR

Code review is systematic examination of code by peers before merging. Google's code review practice: every change reviewed, small CLs (200 lines ideal), 24-hour review turnaround. It catches bugs, spreads knowledge, and enforces standards. Code review is the single most effective quality practice after testing.

## Core Explanation

Reviewer focus: design (is it well-architected?), functionality (does it work?), complexity (could it be simpler?), tests (are they adequate?), naming (clear?), comments (useful?). Be respectful — critique code, not the author. Speed: small reviews (<200 lines) get thorough review; large reviews get pushback. Automated checks (linter, formatter, tests) should run before human review.

## Further Reading

- [Google Engineering Practices Documentation](undefined)