"Great engineers write code. Exceptional engineers review it."
When I first started my journey as a developer, I saw code reviews as a formality - a box to check before merging a pull request. Fast forward to today, as a Senior Software Engineer, I can confidently say that code reviews are one of the most valuable growth tools in our profession.
Here’s how code reviews have shaped me into a better engineer - and how they can do the same for you.
🔍 1. I Started Thinking Like a Reviewer
Writing code is one thing. Reading and reviewing someone else's code forces a different mindset - you look for:
- Readability
- Security
- Performance
- Edge cases
- Test coverage
Over time, I began to write my own code as if I were reviewing it later. This improved my clarity, naming conventions, and modularity significantly.
🧠 2. I Learned from My Mistakes (and Others’)
Every code review is an opportunity to learn - whether you're giving or receiving feedback.
Some of my key lessons came from reviewers who:
- Suggested better LINQ queries in C#
- Pointed out SQL injection risks
- Recommended using design patterns like Strategy or Repository
- Flagged inconsistent exception handling
Reading others’ PRs also exposed me to new ideas and styles. I started bookmarking great code snippets for future use.
🤝 3. I Got Better at Communication
Giving feedback in a code review is a soft skill. Early in my career, I’d write things like:
“This is wrong.”
Now, I phrase feedback constructively:
“Would it be clearer if we extracted this logic into a separate method for readability?”
Being respectful and collaborative made my feedback more effective - and helped build trust in the team.
🔄 4. It Reinforced Team Standards
Code reviews help ensure everyone follows coding standards, naming conventions, and architectural decisions.
As a senior, I use code reviews to mentor junior devs - suggesting improvements and explaining the “why” behind the feedback. This boosts code quality and team alignment.
🚀 5. It Made Me a More Thoughtful Engineer
Code reviews forced me to slow down and think critically:
- Is this code easy to test?
- What happens if X service is down?
- Will this scale?
- Can we refactor this logic into a shared helper?
These questions made me shift from a “just make it work” mindset to a “make it right, then fast” approach.
💡 Final Thoughts
Code reviews aren’t just about finding bugs - they’re about growing as an engineer.
Whether you’re reviewing or being reviewed, every session is a chance to:
- Learn something new
- Improve your thought process
- Write cleaner, more maintainable code
If you're not taking code reviews seriously yet - start now. Your future self (and team) will thank you.
✍️ What has code review taught you?
Let’s share experiences in the comments - I’d love to hear your lessons and tips!
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