Google's Engineering Practices - What to Look for in a Code Review

Positive Feedback

In code reviews, emphasizing positive feedback can be as impactful as pointing out errors. Michael Outlaw highlights the importance of acknowledging good work, especially when mentoring, as it reinforces improvement and boosts morale. Joe Zack suggests creating a shorthand for positive feedback, akin to "nitpicking," to make it a regular part of the review process 1. Alan Underwood humorously notes that people often receive more kindness from strangers than from those they work closely with, underscoring the need for positive reinforcement in professional settings 2.

   

Commenting Practices

Proper commenting practices are crucial for code clarity and maintenance. Michael Outlaw emphasizes that comments should explain the "why" rather than the "what" of the code, especially for complex algorithms or regular expressions 3. Alan Underwood distinguishes between inline comments and documentation, noting that comments should clarify the code's purpose and usage without being overly verbose 4. Joe Zack adds a humorous touch by suggesting that comments on regular expressions might as well be written by "monkeys banging on keyboards," highlighting their complexity and the need for clear explanations.

   

Naming Conventions

Clear and meaningful naming conventions are vital for enhancing code readability and reducing errors. Alan Underwood argues that while variable names should be concise, they must also convey enough information to be understood without extensive context 5. He stresses the importance of method and class names, as these are crucial for future developers navigating the codebase 6. Michael Outlaw agrees, noting that overly generic names can indicate a method is doing too much, suggesting that names should accurately reflect the method's purpose.