Requesting Code Review

When to use this skill

Use Requesting Code Review when an AI agent needs a reusable SKILL.md workflow for this job: Use when completing tasks, implementing major features, or before merging to verify work meets requirements

When not to use it

Skip Requesting Code Review when the task is outside the coding category, or when a more specific skill in this directory already covers the same workflow with clearer triggers.

How to install

1. Personal install: create ~/.claude/skills/requesting-code-review/SKILL.md (and any bundled scripts) so Claude Code, Claude Desktop, and compatible agents can load it in every project.
2. Project install: commit the same folder at .claude/skills/requesting-code-review/ so teammates get the skill with the repo.
3. Restart the agent session after copying files so it re-scans the skills directory, then ask for the task in words that match the skill description.

Full install guide for Claude, Cursor, and Codex

What this skill does

# 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.

**Core principle:** Review early, review often.

## When to Request Review

**Mandatory:** - After each task in subagent-driven development - After completing major feature - Before merge to main

**Optional but valuable:** - When stuck (fresh perspective) - Before refactoring (baseline check) - After fixing complex bug

## How to Request

**1. Get git SHAs:** ```bash BASE_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD~1) # or: git merge-base origin/main HEAD HEAD_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD) ```

**2. Dispatch code reviewer subagent:**

Dispatch a `general-purpose` subagent, filling the template at [code-reviewer.md](code-reviewer.md)

**Placeholders:** - `{DESCRIPTION}` - Brief summary of what you built - `{PLAN_OR_REQUIREMENTS}` - What it should do - `{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 reviewer is wrong (with reasoning)

## Example

``` [Just completed Task 2: Add verification function]

You: Let me request code review before proceeding.

BASE_SHA=$(git log --oneline | grep "Task 1" | head -1 | awk '{print $1}') HEAD_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)

[Dispatch code reviewer subagent] DESCRIPTION: Added verifyIndex() and repairIndex() with 4 issue types PLAN_OR_REQUIREMENTS: Task 2 from docs/superpowers/plans/deployment-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

You: [Fix progress indicators] [Continue to Task 3] ```

## Common Rationalizations

| Excuse | Reality | |--------|---------| | "I'll just review the diff myself instead of dispatching a reviewer" | You're the coordinator — reviewing the diff inline burns the context window you need to keep driving the work. Dispatch a reviewer subagent: the diff and the evaluation live in its context, and only the findings come back to you. | | "The reviewer needs my whole session history to understand the change" | Hand it precisely crafted context, never your session's history. That keeps the reviewer on the work product, not your thought process. |

## Red Flags

**Never:** - Skip review because "it's simple" - Ignore Critical issues - Proceed with unfixed Important issues - Argue with valid technical feedback

**If reviewer wrong:** - Push back with technical reasoning - Show code/tests that prove it works - Request clarification

See template at: [code-reviewer.md](code-reviewer.md)

Intended uses

• Use Requesting Code Review when this documented workflow matches the task.