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Code Review Skills For Pythonistas - DjangoCon ...

Code Review Skills For Pythonistas - DjangoCon 2018

As teams and projects grow, code review becomes increasingly important to support the maintainability of complex codebases. In this talk, I’ll cover guidelines for writing consistent python code beyond pep8, how to look out for common python gotchas, and what python tools are available to automate various parts of the review process. Most importantly, I’ll cover the human aspect of code reviews - how we can be better at approaching reviews with empathy and understanding from the perspective of both a reviewer and a submitter. Following these successful code review practices will lead to happier teams and healthier code bases.

This talk is useful for python developers with any amount of experience. No prerequisite knowledge is necessary.

- For those who are just starting out, it will be a great general overview.
- Intermediate developers may not know about the wide variety of tooling that’s available.
- Advanced developers will learn techniques for performing code reviews with empathy.

This talk will enable you to have better code reviews on your teams at work, and a better approach to code reviews in open source projects. You’ll leave with 3 main takeaways:

1. Code Reviews are most effective when conducted with empathy. If you do reviews with growth and learning in mind, they become tools for sharing knowledge instead of an opportunity to bruise egos or show off esoteric knowledge.
2. Python has powerful tooling available for code reviews such as pep8 as a style guide, pylint as a linter, coverage.py to identify test coverage, and vulture to identify dead code.
3. That python style guides beyond pep8 have clear benefits in terms of producing more consistent code that’s easier to review and easier to maintain.

Nina Zakharenko

October 15, 2018
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  1. WHAT WE'LL LEARN TODAY [1/2] > What are the proven

    benefits of review? > Setting standards > Time saving tools and automation options for Python @nnja
  2. WHAT WE'LL LEARN TODAY [2/2] > How to effectively review

    code > How to submit PRs for maximum impact > Use code review to build a stronger team @nnja
  3. WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THIS TALK? > Novice

    - Comprehensive overview of code review best practices > Intermediate - Tooling & automation > Advanced - Hardest part – the people factor @nnja
  4. NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL! > team size > 2

    vs 10 > product type > agency vs in-house > open source @nnja
  5. NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL! > defect tolerance > high

    tolerance > phone games > low tolerance > medical equipment > airplanes @nnja
  6. APPARENT CODE REVIEW FRUSTRATIONS > Adds time demand > Adds

    process > Can bring up team tensions > “smart” devs think they don’t need it ! @nnja
  7. FIND BUGS & DESIGN FLAWS > Design flaws & bugs

    can be identified and remedied before the code is complete > Case Studies on Review5: > ‑ bug rate by 80% > ‐ productivity by 15% 5 blog.codinghorror.com/code-reviews-just-do-it/ @nnja
  8. SHARED OWNERSHIP & KNOWLEDGE > We’re in this together >

    No developer is the only expert @nnja
  9. CODE REVIEW BENEFITS? > Find Bugs > Shared Ownership >

    Shared Knowledge > Reduce "Lottery Factor" @nnja
  10. ENCOURAGE CONSISTENCY > Your code isn’t yours, it belongs to

    your company > Code should fit your company’s expectations and style (not your own) > Reviews should encourage consistency for code longevity @nnja
  11. CODE REVIEWS NEED TO BE UNIVERSAL & FOLLOW GUIDELINES >

    Doesn’t matter how senior / junior you are > Only senior devs reviewing == bottleneck > Inequality breeds dissatisfaction @nnja
  12. STYLE GUIDE > Distinguishes personal taste from opinion > Goes

    beyond PEP8 > Should be agreed upon beforehand > Example: Google's pyguide.md @nnja
  13. VS Code > settings: > "editor.formatOnSave": true > "python.formatting.provider": "black"

    > "python.formatting.blackArgs": ["--line- length", "100"] > VS Code Black support docs @nnja
  14. WHEN CODE REVIEWS ARE POSITIVE, DEVELOPERS DON’T EXPECT THEIR CHANGES

    TO BE REVIEWED, THEY WANT THEIR CHANGES TO BE REVIEWED. @nnja
  15. LET'S REVIEW: CODE REVIEW FUNDAMENTALS > Reviews done by peers

    > Style guides & formatters for consistency > No blame culture @nnja
  16. GOOD CODE IS LIKE A GOOD JOKE. IT NEEDS NO

    EXPLANATION. - RUSS OLSEN @nnja
  17. STAGES OF REVIEW > 0: before PR submission > 1:

    PR submitted > 2: (optional) work in progress PR (30-50%) > 3: review almost done (90-100%) > 4: review completed @nnja
  18. PROVIDE CONTEXT (THE WHY) > What was the motivation for

    submitting this code? > Link to the underlying ticket/issue > Document why the change was needed > For larger PRs, provide a changelog > Point out any side-effects @nnja
  19. YOU ARE THE PRIMARY REVIEWER > Review your own code

    as if it belonged to someone else. > Anticipate problem areas. @nnja
  20. THE PRIMARY REVIEWER > Make sure your code works, and

    is thoroughly tested. > Don’t rely on others to catch your mistakes. @nnja
  21. ☑ SMALL STUFF > Did you check for reusable code

    or utility methods? > Did I remove debugger statements? > Are there clear commit messages? @nnja
  22. ☑ BIG STUFF > Is my code secure? > Will

    it scale? > Is it maintainable? > Is it resilient against outages? Tip: Read The Checklist Manifesto @nnja
  23. YOU’RE STARTING A CONVERSATION > Don’t get too attached to

    your code before the review process > Anticipate comments and feedback > Acknowledge you will make mistakes @nnja
  24. SUBMIT WORK IN PROGRESS PULL REQUESTS > Open them your

    code is 30-50% done > Good idea for bigger features > Don’t be afraid of showing incomplete, incremental work @nnja
  25. WHEN CODE IS WORK IN PROGRESS > Feedback to expect:

    > Architectural issues > Problems with overall design > Design pattern suggestions @nnja
  26. WHEN CODE IS ALMOST DONE > Feedback to expect: >

    Nit Picks > Variable Names > Documentation & Comments > Small Optimizations @nnja
  27. ONE PR PER ISSUE > Solving multiple problems? Break them

    up into multiple PRs for ease of review. > Solved an unrelated problem? Make a new PR with a separate diff @nnja
  28. PREVENT REVIEWER BURNOUT > Reviews lose value when they’re more

    than 500 lines of code1 > Keep them small & relevant > If a big PR is unavoidable, give the reviewer extra time 1 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ bosu2015useful.pdf @nnja
  29. ! PYLINT RULE: trailing-comma-tuple foo = (1, 3, 4, )

    bar = 2, # bar is now a tuple @nnja
  30. USE VULTURE.PY TO FIND DEAD OR UNREACHABLE CODE $ pip

    install vulture $ vulture script.py package/ or $ python -m vulture script.py package/ github.com/jendrikseipp/vulture
  31. Sample code def foo(): print("foo") def bar(): print("bar") def baz():

    print("baz") foo() bar() Run vulture.py › python -m vulture foo.py foo.py:7: unused function 'baz' (60% confidence) @nnja
  32. GIT PRE-COMMIT HOOKS > run linter > check syntax >

    check for TODOs, debugger statements, unused imports > enforce styling (autopep8, black formatter, sort imports, etc) > option to reject commit if conditions aren't met @nnja
  33. pre-commit.com > autopep8-wrapper - Runs autopep8 over source > flake8

    and pyflakes - Run flake8 or pyflakes on source > check-ast - Check whether files contain valid python > debug-statements - Check for debugger imports and breakpoint() calls @nnja
  34. ✔ TESTS > Write them! > Don’t know code health

    if tests are failing > Tests identify problems immediately @nnja
  35. BE RESPONSIVE > Respond to comments if you don't agree

    with them. > If you won’t implement the suggestion, come to a mutual understanding with the reviewer @nnja
  36. IT’S STILL A CONVERSATION If there were comments, let your

    reviewer know when you’ve pushed changes and are ready to be re- reviewed. @nnja
  37. DON’T BIKE-SHED > back & forth > 3 times? step

    away from the keyboard > talk instead! > record the results of the conversation in the PR > bikeshed.com @nnja
  38. HOW TO BE A GREAT SUBMITTER? > Provide the why

    (context!) > Review your own code > Expect conversation > Submit in progress work @nnja
  39. HOW TO BE A GREAT SUBMITTER? > Use automated tools

    > Be responsive > Accept defeat @nnja
  40. BE OBJECTIVE “THIS METHOD IS MISSING A DOCSTRING” INSTEAD OF

    “YOU FORGOT TO WRITE A DOCSTRING” @nnja
  41. ASK QUESTIONS DON’T GIVE ANSWERS > “Would it make more

    sense if... ?” > “Did you think about... ? ” @nnja
  42. AVOID THESE TERMS > Simply > Easily > Just >

    Obviously > Well, actually... Recurse Center Social Rules
  43. HAVE CLEAR FEEDBACK > Strongly support your opinions > Share

    How & Why > Link to supporting docs, stackoverflow, etc @nnja
  44. DON’T BE A PERFECTIONIST > Don’t let perfect get in

    the way of perfectly acceptable. > Prioritize what’s important to you. > Usually 90% there is good enough. @nnja
  45. IT’S OK TO NIT-PICK > Syntax Issues > Spelling Errors

    > Poor Variable Names > Missing corner-cases > Specify: Are your nitpicks blocking merge? Save the nit-picks for last, after any pressing architecture, design, or other large scale issues have been addressed. @nnja
  46. Don't burn out. Studies show reviewer should look at 200-400

    lines of code at a time for maximum impact2. 2 https://smartbear.com/learn/code-review/best-practices-for-peer-code-review/
  47. Limit reviews to 400 lines in 60 mins to maximize

    effectiveness3. 3 https://smartbear.com/learn/code-review/best-practices-for-peer-code-review/
  48. HOW CAN WE BE A GREAT REVIEWER? > Have Empathy

    > Watch your Language > Have Clear Feedback > Give Compliments @nnja
  49. HOW CAN WE BE A GREAT REVIEWER? > Don’t be

    a perfectionist > Avoid Burn Out > Complete in 24-48 hours @nnja
  50. HIRING SENIOR ENGINEERS IS HARD. YOU CAN HIRE JUNIOR ENGINEERS,

    AND GROW THEM INTO FUNCTIONAL PRODUCTIVE PARTS OF YOUR TEAM. - SASHA LAUNDY @nnja
  51. REMEMBER... > Allocate the time > Develop, don’t force the

    process > Not one size fits all > Or a one stop fix > Use in addition to tests, QA, etc for maximum impact @nnja
  52. RESOURCES & ADDITIONAL READING > Top 3 Django Gotchas to

    Catch during Code Review > Microsoft Study on Effective Code Review > Code Reviews: Just do it > Code Project - Code Review Guidelines > Great Example Checklist > Best Practices for Code Review > Rebecca's Rules for Constructive Code Review > My Big Fat Scary Pull Request > The Gentle Art of Patch Review - Sage Sharp > Watch: Raymond Hettinger - Beyond PEP8 @nnja
  53. EXAMPLE STYLE GUIDES > Python > Plone Google has many

    good, but strict style guides at: https://github.com/google/styleguide Doesn't matter which one you use. Pick one and stick with it. @nnja