What is the purpose of a code review?

The purpose of a code review is fundamentally centered around evaluating code for quality and adherence to established standards. This practice involves scrutinizing the code written by team members to ensure it meets certain criteria such as functionality, efficiency, readability, and maintainability. Code reviews help catch bugs early, promote knowledge sharing among team members, and reinforce best practices, all of which contribute to the overall robustness of the software.

By fostering collaboration, code reviews also allow younger or less experienced developers to learn from the insights and expertise of their peers. They provide an opportunity to discuss different coding techniques and alternative approaches to solving problems, ultimately leading to improved code quality and team cohesion. In contrast, finding a single solution to a problem can neglect the multifaceted nature of software development, and finalizing a project release or writing documentation, while important, are not the primary goals of a code review.