| name | requesting-code-review |
| description | Use when completing tasks, implementing major features, or before merging to verify work meets requirements. Dispatches a code-reviewer subagent with crafted context. |
Requesting Code Review
Dispatch a code reviewer subagent to catch issues before they cascade. The reviewer gets precisely crafted context for evaluation — never your session's history. This keeps the reviewer focused on the work product, not your thought process, and preserves your own context for continued work.
Core principle: Review early, review often.
Complements, does not replace: in a team workflow the Phase 4 team-tester and Phase 5 security-review are the gated audits, and Claude Code's built-in /review + /security-review cover the diff. Use this skill for lightweight, on-demand reviews between tasks or before a merge gate.
When to Request Review
Mandatory:
- After each task when running subagent-driven / multi-task implementation
- After completing a major feature
- Before merge to main (the user gates the actual merge)
Optional but valuable:
- When stuck (fresh perspective)
- Before refactoring (baseline check)
- After fixing a complex bug
How to Request
1. Get git SHAs:
BASE_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD~1)
HEAD_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
2. Dispatch code reviewer subagent:
Dispatch a general-purpose subagent, filling the template at resources/code-reviewer.md.
Placeholders:
{DESCRIPTION} — brief summary of what you built
{PLAN_OR_REQUIREMENTS} — what it should do (plan file path under _docs/, task text, or requirements)
{BASE_SHA} — starting commit
{HEAD_SHA} — ending commit
3. Act on feedback:
- Fix Critical issues immediately
- Fix Important issues before proceeding
- Note Minor issues for later
- Push back if the reviewer is wrong, with reasoning — but verify each claim against the actual code/tests before either agreeing or dismissing it (don't perform agreement, and don't wave off valid feedback)
Example
[Just completed Task 2: Add verification function]
Let me request code review before proceeding.
BASE_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD~1)
HEAD_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
[Dispatch code reviewer subagent]
DESCRIPTION: Added verifyIndex() and repairIndex() with 4 issue types
PLAN_OR_REQUIREMENTS: Task 2 from _docs/active/planning/<date>/<topic>-plan.md
BASE_SHA: a7981ec
HEAD_SHA: 3df7661
[Subagent returns]:
Strengths: Clean architecture, real tests
Issues:
Important: Missing progress indicators
Minor: Magic number (100) for reporting interval
Assessment: Ready to proceed
[Fix progress indicators] → [Continue to Task 3]
Red Flags
Never:
- Skip review because "it's simple"
- Ignore Critical issues
- Proceed with unfixed Important issues
- Argue with valid technical feedback
If the reviewer is wrong:
- Push back with technical reasoning
- Show code/tests that prove it works
- Request clarification
See template at: resources/code-reviewer.md