Industry-standard guide covering code review evaluation criteria, reviewer selection, and collaborative quality improvement processes
Google's Code Review Guide distills lessons from millions of code reviews into practical advice for both authors and reviewers. It's become the de facto standard for healthy code review culture.
For reviewers, key principles include: look for design issues first, then implementation, favor approving CLs that improve the codebase, optimize for the long-term health of the codebase, and provide actionable, specific feedback with examples.
For authors, the guide covers: writing small, focused changes, providing clear descriptions and context, responding professionally to feedback, and breaking up large changes effectively.
The guide addresses common tensions like speed vs thoroughness (aim for 24-hour turnaround), perfection vs progress ("good enough" that improves the codebase), and style vs substance (use automated tools for style).
Critical insights include how to give feedback that teaches rather than criticizes, when to approve with comments vs request changes, handling disagreements constructively, and building a culture where code review strengthens both code and team relationships. This guide helps teams avoid code review becoming a bottleneck or source of conflict.
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