Requesting Code Review
Dispatch code-reviewer subagent to catch issues before they cascade.
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
Quick Start
1. Get git SHAs:
BASE_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD~1) # or origin/main
HEAD_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
2. Dispatch code-reviewer subagent:
Use Task tool with code-reviewer type, fill template at Code Reviewer Template
Required placeholders:
{WHAT_WAS_IMPLEMENTED}- What you just built{PLAN_OR_REQUIREMENTS}- What it should do{BASE_SHA}- Starting commit{HEAD_SHA}- Ending commit{DESCRIPTION}- Brief summary
3. Act on feedback:
| Severity | Action |
|---|---|
| Critical | Fix immediately, don't proceed |
| Important | Fix before next major task |
| Minor | Note for later, can proceed |
See severity guidelines for details.
Integration with Workflows
Subagent-Driven Development:
- Review after EACH task
- Catch issues before they compound
- Fix before moving to next task
Executing Plans:
- Review after each batch (3 tasks)
- Get feedback, apply, continue
Ad-Hoc Development:
- Review before merge
- Review when stuck
Pushing Back on Reviews
If reviewer wrong:
- Push back with technical reasoning
- Show code/tests that prove it works
- Reference plan requirements
- Request clarification
Common Mistakes
Never:
- Skip review because "it's simple"
- Ignore Critical issues
- Proceed with unfixed Important issues
- Argue without technical justification
Always:
- Provide full context in review request
- Fix Critical issues immediately
- Document disagreements with technical justification
- Re-review after fixing Critical issues
Examples
Need examples? See Review Examples & Workflows for:
- Complete review output examples
- Good vs bad review requests
- Review workflows for different scenarios
- How to act on different severity levels
- When and how to push back
Need template? See Code Reviewer Template for the complete subagent dispatch template.