Requesting Code Review - OpenAgent Version

Dispatch code-reviewer subagent (using code-reviewer.md template) to catch issues before they cascade. With approval gates at each phase.

Core principle: Review early, review often.

OpenAgent integration: This skill integrates approval gates at each phase - you will request approval before dispatching reviewers and before fixing issues.

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 with Approval Gates

digraph code_review_openagent {
    rankdir=TB;
    approval_git [label="⏸️ REQUEST\nAPPROVAL\nto get git SHAs", shape=diamond, style=filled, fillcolor="#ffffcc"];
    get_shas [label="Get BASE_SHA\nand HEAD_SHA", shape=box];
    approval_dispatch [label="⏸️ REQUEST\nAPPROVAL\nto dispatch reviewer", shape=diamond, style=filled, fillcolor="#ffffcc"];
    dispatch [label="Dispatch\ncode-reviewer\nsubagent", shape=box];
    report_feedback [label="⏸️ REPORT\nfeedback received", shape=box, style=filled, fillcolor="#ffffcc"];
    has_critical [label="Critical\nissues?", shape=diamond];
    approval_critical [label="⏸️ REQUEST\nAPPROVAL\nto fix Critical", shape=diamond, style=filled, fillcolor="#ffffcc"];
    fix_critical [label="Fix Critical\nissues", shape=box, style=filled, fillcolor="#ffcccc"];
    has_important [label="Important\nissues?", shape=diamond];
    approval_important [label="⏸️ REQUEST\nAPPROVAL\nto fix Important", shape=diamond, style=filled, fillcolor="#ffffcc"];
    fix_important [label="Fix Important\nissues", shape=box, style=filled, fillcolor="#ffffee"];
    approval_proceed [label="⏸️ REQUEST\nAPPROVAL\nto proceed", shape=diamond, style=filled, fillcolor="#ffffcc"];
    next_task [label="Next task", shape=ellipse];

    approval_git -> get_shas [label="approved"];
    get_shas -> approval_dispatch;
    approval_dispatch -> dispatch [label="approved"];
    dispatch -> report_feedback;
    report_feedback -> has_critical;
    has_critical -> approval_critical [label="yes"];
    has_critical -> has_important [label="no"];
    approval_critical -> fix_critical [label="approved"];
    fix_critical -> has_important;
    has_important -> approval_important [label="yes"];
    has_important -> approval_proceed [label="no"];
    approval_important -> fix_important [label="approved"];
    approval_important -> approval_proceed [label="skip"];
    fix_important -> approval_proceed;
    approval_proceed -> next_task [label="approved"];
}

Phase 1: Get Git SHAs

⏸️ REQUEST APPROVAL: "May I get git SHAs to identify the code changes for review?"

After approval:

BASE_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD~1)  # or origin/main
HEAD_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)

Phase 2: Dispatch Code Reviewer

⏸️ REQUEST APPROVAL: "May I dispatch a code-reviewer subagent to review changes from {BASE_SHA} to {HEAD_SHA}?"

After approval, use Task tool with code-reviewer template:

Fill template at code-reviewer.md

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

Phase 3: Report Feedback

⏸️ REPORT TO USER:

"Code review complete. Summary:

Strengths:

• •[List strengths from review]

Issues:

• •Critical: [count and brief list]
• •Important: [count and brief list]
• •Minor: [count and brief list]

Assessment: [reviewer's verdict]

Ready to address issues?"

Phase 4: Fix Critical Issues

If Critical issues exist:

⏸️ REQUEST APPROVAL: "May I fix Critical issues? These are: [list with file:line]"

After approval:

• •Fix each Critical issue
• •Run tests to verify fix
• •Report completion

Phase 5: Fix Important Issues

If Important issues exist:

⏸️ REQUEST APPROVAL: "May I fix Important issues? These are: [list with file:line]"

After approval:

• •Fix each Important issue
• •Run tests to verify fix
• •Report completion

User may choose to skip: Note issues for later if user prefers to proceed

Phase 6: Proceed to Next Task

⏸️ REQUEST APPROVAL: "Code review complete and issues addressed. May I proceed to the next task?"

Example with Approval Gates

[Just completed Task 2: Add verification function]

You: ⏸️ "May I get git SHAs to identify code changes for review?"

User: "yes"

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

BASE_SHA: a7981ec
HEAD_SHA: 3df7661

⏸️ "May I dispatch a code-reviewer subagent to review changes from a7981ec to 3df7661?"

User: "yes"

You: Dispatching code reviewer...

[Dispatch code-reviewer subagent using code-reviewer.md template]
  WHAT_WAS_IMPLEMENTED: Verification and repair functions for conversation index
  PLAN_OR_REQUIREMENTS: Task 2 from docs/plans/deployment-plan.md
  BASE_SHA: a7981ec
  HEAD_SHA: 3df7661
  DESCRIPTION: Added verifyIndex() and repairIndex() with 4 issue types

[Subagent returns feedback]

⏸️ REPORT: "Code review complete. Summary:

**Strengths:**
- Clean architecture with separated concerns
- Real tests covering edge cases (not just mocks)

**Issues:**
- Critical: None
- Important: 1 - Missing progress indicators (verifier.ts:130)
- Minor: 1 - Magic number for reporting interval

**Assessment:** Ready to proceed with Important fix

May I fix the Important issue (missing progress indicators)?"

User: "yes"

You: Fixing progress indicators...
[Add progress indicator code]
[Run tests to verify]

⏸️ "Important issue fixed. May I proceed to Task 3?"

User: "yes"

You: [Continue to Task 3]

Integration with Workflows

Subagent-Driven Development:

• •Review after EACH task with approval gates
• •Catch issues before they compound
• •Fix before moving to next task
• •Always request approval before fixes

Executing Plans:

• •Review after each batch (3 tasks) with approval gates
• •Get feedback, request approval, apply, continue

Ad-Hoc Development:

• •Review before merge with approval gates
• •Review when stuck with approval gates

Red Flags

Never:

• •Skip review because "it's simple"
• •Ignore Critical issues
• •Proceed with unfixed Important issues
• •Argue with valid technical feedback
• •Skip approval gates to "save time"
• •Dispatch reviewer without approval
• •Fix issues without approval

If reviewer wrong:

• •Push back with technical reasoning
• •Show code/tests that prove it works
• •Request clarification

OpenAgent Approval Gate Summary

Approval points in code review cycle:

1. •⏸️ Before getting git SHAs
2. •⏸️ Before dispatching code-reviewer subagent
3. •⏸️ After receiving feedback (report to user)
4. •⏸️ Before fixing Critical issues
5. •⏸️ Before fixing Important issues (can skip if user prefers)
6. •⏸️ Before proceeding to next task

Why approval gates matter:

• •Prevents automatic dispatch of subagents
• •Ensures user awareness of review findings
• •Gives user control over which issues to fix
• •Aligns with OpenAgent's safety-first philosophy
• •Creates natural checkpoints for review

Final Rule

Code review → approval before dispatch → approval before fixes → approval before proceeding
Otherwise → not OpenAgent code review

See template at: openagent-requesting-code-review/code-reviewer.md