This document serves as a guide for reviewing the codebase, with clear questions and a ranking system to evaluate the project's current state. Please follow the grading criteria below to provide consistent feedback.
Use the following scale to assess each aspect of the project:
- 0 (N/A): Question is not applicable to the project.
- 1 (Minor): The issue exists but is not urgent or critical. It can be addressed later.
- 2 (Moderate): A noticeable issue that should be addressed soon. It may cause problems down the line.
- 3 (Major): A significant issue that affects functionality, maintainability, or security. Needs to be fixed soon.
- 4 (Critical): A blocking issue that must be fixed immediately for the project to function.
Priority Levels for Action:
- High Priority: Needs immediate attention (usually ranked 3-4).
- Medium Priority: Should be addressed soon but isn't urgent (usually ranked 2).
- Low Priority: Can be addressed at a later stage (usually ranked 0-1).
Example Completed Section:
Answer:
-
The codebase is fairly well-organized with logical separations between core components (e.g., controllers, services). However, there are some areas where functionality could be broken down further, especially in services that are getting too large.
-
Directory structure is fairly clear, but there are a few directories where the naming could be more descriptive (e.g., the
srcdirectory could benefit from further subfolders for specific features).
Ranking:
- Score: 3 (Major)
- Priority: Medium
- Notes: The structure is good but could benefit from more modularization. Some services are large and monolithic. Breaking them down into smaller, more manageable components would help with future maintainability and testing.
**Example pull request:
Follow this pull request convention: https://gist.github.com/joshbuchea/6f47e86d2510bce28f8e7f42ae84c716
git add .
git commit -m"docs(review): answers questions on general code structure"
git push
What to check:
- Organization of the Codebase: Is the code divided into logical modules or components (e.g., controllers, services, models)?
- Directory Structure: Are there clear directories for core functionality, tests, configurations, and documentation? How easy is it to navigate?
- Modularity vs. Monolithic: Does the project follow standard design patterns like MVC or microservices? Is there excessive coupling? Does it adhere to principles like SOLID?
How you can assist:
- Provide feedback on whether the code is easy to follow or if it feels confusing. Point out where the structure can be improved or reorganized.
- Suggest modularization where necessary, and highlight areas where the code can be decoupled.
- Recommend any design patterns that could improve clarity and separation of concerns (refactor).
What to check:
- External Libraries: What external libraries or frameworks does the project rely on? Are these up-to-date or outdated? Are there deprecated/unsupported libraries?
- Unused or Redundant Dependencies: Are there any unused dependencies in the project?
- Missing Dependencies: Are there any external systems (e.g., databases, APIs) required but not documented?
How you can assist:
- Check for outdated dependencies and suggest updates or removals.
- Look for any missing dependencies that may be required but aren't listed in the documentation (e.g., external services, DB connections).
- Provide recommendations for better dependency management, such as adding a
lockfileto ensure consistent installations.
What to check:
- Documentation: Can you follow the README to get the project running? Are the steps clear? Are there setup scripts like
setup.shorinstall.batthat work as expected? - Environment Requirements: Are there specific versions of languages, databases, or OS required? Are these documented?
- Errors During Setup: Does the project fail to install or run in a modern environment?
How you can assist:
- Test the setup process and note any issues with documentation, missing prerequisites, or setup scripts.
- Suggest improvements to the documentation if certain steps are unclear or missing.
- List environment variables or configuration options that need to be documented.
What to check:
- Code Clarity: Are functions and variables meaningfully named? Are there comments explaining complex logic?
- Coding Style: Does the code follow consistent style guidelines (e.g., indentation, naming conventions)? Are there tools like ESLint or Prettier configured to enforce this?
- Modularity: Are there large or complex functions/classes that need refactoring?
- Test Coverage: Are there unit, integration, or end-to-end tests? Are all areas of the code tested? Are the tests passing?
- Error Handling: Are errors logged consistently? Are exceptions handled gracefully?
How you can assist:
- Provide feedback on readability and code structure. If code is hard to follow, suggest ways to improve clarity (e.g., breaking up large functions).
- Run tests and report any failures. If tests are missing, highlight which areas need coverage.
- Suggest improvements in error handling or logging practices if inconsistent.
What to check:
- Sensitive Data: Are sensitive settings (e.g., API keys, database URLs) stored securely via environment variables?
- Configuration Management: Is there a clear system for managing configuration settings (e.g., a config folder)?
- Hardcoded Values: Are there any hardcoded values in the code that should be configurable (e.g., database credentials, file paths)?
How you can assist:
- Suggest moving hardcoded values into environment variables or configuration files where appropriate.
- Flag any sensitive data that could be exposed and recommend better practices for securely managing these values.
What to check:
- Commit Messages: Are commit messages clear, concise, and meaningful? Do they follow a conventional commit style?
- Branching Strategy: Does the project use a consistent branching strategy (e.g., Git Flow, trunk-based development)? Are feature branches being used properly?
How you can assist:
- Review the Git history and provide feedback on commit message quality and branching practices.
- Recommend any missing or unnecessary branches, or suggest improvements to the workflow if necessary.
What to check:
- Build System: Is there a build script or CI/CD pipeline (e.g., GitHub Actions, Jenkins)? How is the code deployed (manual steps or automated)?
- Deployment Tools: Are there Dockerfiles, Kubernetes configurations, or other deployment tools?
- Release Process: Are version tags, release notes, or a changelog used?
How you can assist:
- Test the build process if possible and suggest any improvements to automation.
- Provide feedback on the clarity of deployment steps and whether the release process can be improved.
What to check:
- Vulnerabilities: Are there known vulnerabilities in the dependencies (e.g., outdated libraries)? Is user input properly validated and sanitized?
- Sensitive Data Handling: Are API keys, credentials, or other sensitive data stored securely?
How you can assist:
- Check for security issues such as vulnerabilities in dependencies and areas where input validation is missing.
- Recommend improvements to how sensitive data is handled and stored.
What to check:
- Performance Bottlenecks: Are there any large files, inefficient database queries, or memory usage issues?
- Profiling: Has the code been profiled for performance? Are there areas that could benefit from optimization?
How you can assist:
- Identify potential performance issues by running benchmarks or reviewing the code for inefficiencies.
- Suggest optimization strategies for any identified bottlenecks.
What to check:
- README: Does the README provide clear setup instructions, project goals, and how to contribute?
- Code Comments: Are there comments in the code, especially for complex sections?
- Outdated Documentation: Are any parts of the documentation outdated or missing?
How you can assist:
- Review the README and suggest improvements or additions for clarity.
- Identify areas of the code where additional comments are needed to improve readability and maintainability.