review

garymjr's avatarfrom garymjr

Code review skill. Use when reviewing changes, commits, branches, or pull requests. Focuses on bugs, structure, performance with actionable feedback.

⭐1stars🔀0forks📁View on GitHub🕐Updated Jan 9, 2026
[Code Review]

When & Why to Use This Skill

This Claude skill automates and enhances the code review process by analyzing git diffs, specific commits, and pull requests. It provides actionable, high-context feedback focused on identifying critical bugs, improving software structure, and flagging performance bottlenecks while adhering to project-specific conventions.

Use Cases

  • Pre-commit Quality Assurance: Review local uncommitted changes or staged files to catch logic errors and edge cases before they are committed to the repository.
  • Pull Request Auditing: Integrate with GitHub CLI to perform objective reviews of PRs, ensuring new code follows established architectural patterns and security standards.
  • Branch Comparison: Compare feature branches against the main codebase to identify structural inconsistencies, unreachable paths, or potential integration issues.
  • Historical Commit Analysis: Analyze specific past commits using SHA hashes to debug regressions or evaluate the impact of specific changes on system performance.
namereview
descriptionCode review skill. Use when reviewing changes, commits, branches, or pull requests. Focuses on bugs, structure, performance with actionable feedback.

Review Skill

Review code changes. Focus: bugs first, then structure, performance.

What to Review

User input determines review type:

  1. Default (no target): Uncommitted changes

    • git diff - unstaged
    • git diff --cached - staged

  2. Commit hash (SHA or short): Specific commit

    • git show <commit>

  3. Branch name: Compare current to branch

    • git diff <branch>...HEAD

  4. PR (github.com/pull or PR number): Pull request

    • gh pr view <pr> - context
    • gh pr diff <pr> - diff

Use best judgement.

Gather Context

Diffs alone insufficient. After diff, read full file(s) modified. Understand context.

  • Diff identifies changed files
  • Read full files for patterns, flow, error handling
  • Check conventions: CONVENTIONS.md, AGENTS.md, .editorconfig

Focus Areas

Bugs - Primary.

  • Logic errors, off-by-one, wrong conditionals
  • Missing/incorrect guards, unreachable paths
  • Edge cases: null/empty/undefined, errors, races
  • Security: injection, auth bypass, data exposure
  • Broken error handling: swallowed failures, unexpected throws, uncaught error types

Structure - Fits codebase?

  • Follows existing patterns/conventions?
  • Misses established abstractions?
  • Excessive nesting (flatten with early returns/extract)

Performance - Flag only if obvious.

  • O(n²) on unbounded, N+1 queries, blocking I/O hot paths

Before Flagging

Be certain. Bug claim requires confidence.

  • Review changes only - ignore pre-existing code
  • Don't flag if unsure - investigate first
  • No hypothetical problems - explain realistic scenario if edge case matters
  • Get more context if needed

Don't be a style zealot.

  • Verify actual violation. Don't complain about else if early returns correct.
  • Some "violations" acceptable if simplest option. let fine if alternative convoluted.
  • Excessive nesting always concern.
  • Don't flag style preferences unless clearly violates project conventions.

Tools

Use to inform review:

  • Explore agent - Check existing code patterns, conventions, prior art
  • Exa Code Context - Verify library/API usage before flagging
  • Exa Web Search - Research best practices if unsure

If uncertain + can't verify with tools: say "Not sure about X" rather than definite issue.

Output

  1. Bugs: direct, clear why it's a bug
  2. Clearly communicate severity. Don't overstate
  3. Critiques explicitly communicate scenarios/environments/inputs necessary for bug. Severity depends on these
  4. Matter-of-fact tone. Not accusatory, not overly positive. Helpful AI assistant
  5. Write for quick understanding
  6. NO flattery. No "Great job", "Thanks". Helpful comments only.