requesting-code-review
Use when completing tasks, implementing major features, or before merging to verify work meets requirements
When & Why to Use This Skill
This Claude skill automates the code review process by dispatching a specialized subagent to analyze changes between git commits. It helps developers identify critical bugs, architectural flaws, and requirement mismatches early in the development cycle, ensuring high-quality code delivery and preventing technical debt from cascading.
Use Cases
- Task-Level Verification: Automatically review code after completing individual tasks in subagent-driven development to catch errors before they compound.
- Pre-Merge Quality Assurance: Perform a comprehensive audit of major features against original requirements before merging branches into the main codebase.
- Refactoring Baseline Checks: Establish a baseline of code quality before starting major refactors to ensure no regressions are introduced.
- Complex Bug Resolution: Gain a fresh perspective and secondary validation after fixing intricate bugs to ensure the solution is robust and doesn't create side effects.
| name | requesting-code-review |
|---|---|
| description | Use when completing tasks, implementing major features, or before merging to verify work meets requirements |
| author | obra |
| version | "1.0" |
Requesting Code Review
Dispatch superpowers:code-reviewer subagent to catch issues before they cascade.
Core principle: Review early, review often.
When to Request Review
Mandatory:
- After each task in subagent-driven development
- After completing major feature
- Before merge to main
Optional but valuable:
- When stuck (fresh perspective)
- Before refactoring (baseline check)
- After fixing complex bug
How to Request
1. Get git SHAs:
BASE_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD~1) # or origin/main
HEAD_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
```text
**2. Dispatch code-reviewer subagent:**
Use Task tool with superpowers:code-reviewer type, fill template at `code-reviewer.md`
**Placeholders:**
- `{WHAT_WAS_IMPLEMENTED}` - What you just built
- `{PLAN_OR_REQUIREMENTS}` - What it should do
- `{BASE_SHA}` - Starting commit
- `{HEAD_SHA}` - Ending commit
- `{DESCRIPTION}` - Brief summary
**3. Act on feedback:**
- Fix Critical issues immediately
- Fix Important issues before proceeding
- Note Minor issues for later
- Push back if reviewer is wrong (with reasoning)
## Example
```text
[Just completed Task 2: Add verification function]
You: Let me request code review before proceeding.
BASE_SHA=$(git log --oneline | grep "Task 1" | head -1 | awk '{print $1}')
HEAD_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
[Dispatch superpowers:code-reviewer subagent]
WHAT_WAS_IMPLEMENTED: Verification and repair functions for conversation index
PLAN_OR_REQUIREMENTS: Task 2 from docs/plans/deployment-plan.md
BASE_SHA: a7981ec
HEAD_SHA: 3df7661
DESCRIPTION: Added verifyIndex() and repairIndex() with 4 issue types
[Subagent returns]:
Strengths: Clean architecture, real tests
Issues:
Important: Missing progress indicators
Minor: Magic number (100) for reporting interval
Assessment: Ready to proceed
You: [Fix progress indicators]
[Continue to Task 3]
Integration with Workflows
Subagent-Driven Development:
- Review after EACH task
- Catch issues before they compound
- Fix before moving to next task
Executing Plans:
- Review after each batch (3 tasks)
- Get feedback, apply, continue
Ad-Hoc Development:
- Review before merge
- Review when stuck
Red Flags
Never:
- Skip review because "it's simple"
- Ignore Critical issues
- Proceed with unfixed Important issues
- Argue with valid technical feedback
If reviewer wrong:
- Push back with technical reasoning
- Show code/tests that prove it works
- Request clarification
See template at: requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md