Do you have any tips for dealing with difficult code reviews?

Sometimes we receive DMs or emails at community@rapyd.net where a developer has a question they want to post on the community but aren’t quite comfortable yet with posting. We know we can be a critical audience. Here is a great question I found in my inbox that would be a great topic for you guys. Any advice you can share?

I hope this message finds you all in great spirits. Recently, I have been encountering a series of challenging code reviews that have been quite hard to navigate. While code reviews are undeniably a vital part of the development process, they can sometimes turn into a strenuous task, especially when the reviews are intricate or when there’s a disparity in opinions.

To that end, I wanted to reach out to gather some insights and tips on how to effectively handle difficult code reviews. Here are a few specific areas where I’m seeking advice:

  1. Managing Differing Opinions: How do you find common ground when there are conflicting opinions about the best approach to a problem?
  2. Constructive Feedback: How do you ensure that the feedback remains constructive and doesn’t devolve into personal criticism?
  3. Learning and Growing: How can one use challenging code reviews as an opportunity to learn and grow, rather than seeing it as a setback?
  4. Efficiency and Time Management: What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively when code reviews take longer than expected?
  5. Communication Skills: How can one improve their communication skills to articulate their points more clearly and understand the perspectives of others?

I am eager to learn from your experiences and perhaps develop a guideline that can be helpful not only to me but to others facing similar challenges.

I sincerely appreciate any advice or stories you may be willing to share. Looking forward to a fruitful discussion.

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