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Code Review Culture: Building Teams That Grow Together

Code reviews can build teams up or tear them down. The difference is culture. Here's how I've helped build code review cultures that make everyone better developers.

Thursday, March 14, 2024 · 8 min read · By Kevin Moe Myint Myat

I’ve worked on teams where code reviews were dreaded events that left developers feeling defeated, and teams where they were learning opportunities that everyone looked forward to. The difference was culture.

    The Toxic Review

    
      Toxic code reviews focus on finding faults, pointing fingers, and
      making developers feel small. They create fear, resentment, and a
      culture where people avoid getting their code reviewed.
    

    
      
      
        Code review culture: where teams grow together
      

    

    
      The Growth Culture
    

    
      Positive code review cultures focus on learning, improvement, and
      collaboration. They create environments where developers feel safe to
      make mistakes and excited to learn from each other.
    

    
      The Culture Building
    

    
      Building this culture starts with leadership, continues with training,
      and is maintained through consistent practice. It's about creating
      psychological safety and celebrating growth.
    

    
      
        What's your experience with code review culture?
      

      
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