How can you make documentation a valuable part of your code review process?

Documentation eases the knowledge sharing among the team members. For instance, Having a track of what an individual has done in a particular feature paves way for the upcoming developers to make changes upon it without unwiring the working components. The impact of this could be seen in the decrease time taken for a development and the number of bugs that arise when the same code is touched upon later.

Incorporating documentation into the code review process elevates its effectiveness and efficiency, particularly in onboarding new engineers swiftly. Documenting functions and header files is a best practice that significantly enhances code readability and maintainability. It provides clear insights into the purpose, functionality, and usage of different code segments, enabling new team members to understand the project's structure and logic quickly. This practice not only facilitates a smoother transition for newcomers but also aids in the review process by offering reviewers a well-articulated context for the code being evaluated.

Clear, relevant documentation integrated with code makes reviews more efficient. Require developers to update docs alongside code changes. Use docs to complement in-line comments, explaining higher-level logic and architecture. Standardize documentation location and structure across projects for consistency. Treat docs as integral products, not afterthoughts. Reviewers should inspect docs just as thoroughly as code - validating clarity, organization, visuals, and searchability. Quality docs facilitate knowledge sharing and onboarding. Consider automating parts of documentation generation, but ensure human review. Overall, documentation discipline leads to more maintainable and reusable code over time.

There are a lot of aspects and parts that are to be documented. But we are not talking a lot about issue tracking from a developer level. It is important for a developer to track his approach and techniques used in solving and completing a particular task. This helps as a reference for similar problem statements and also in optimization of the approach when revisited. Imagine solving 100 Jira tasks and u have documented 100 approaches that are specific to that project. You would have your mini stack overflow.

A comprehensive README file is indispensable, guiding users through setting up the application, conducting tests, and understanding its functionalities. Additionally, incorporating file and function headers offers immediate context and purpose for each code segment, enhancing readability and maintainability. Inline comments play a crucial role in clarifying complex code sections, ensuring that intricate logic or algorithms are accessible to all team members. By systematically including these documentation components, you create a more navigable and understandable codebase.

Comments: Use descriptive comments to explain the purpose, functionality, and logic of your code. Comments should be clear, concise, and written in plain language to aid comprehension for other developers. README Files: Include a README file in your project repository that provides an overview of the project, installation instructions, usage guidelines, and any other relevant information. Examples and Use Cases: Include examples and use cases within your documentation to demonstrate how to use your code or implement specific features.

Code reviews, as well as doc reviews, are an essential part of the process. Believe it or not, others may not understand your thought process as you do. Such reviews are key to your personal growth... And a great exercise in practicing humility.

When code contributors are required to document their work comprehensively, it not only demonstrates their dedication to the project but also confirms their grasp of the implemented solutions. This practice enables reviewers to efficiently assess the clarity, functionality, and maintainability of the code. Documentation serves as a verification tool, confirming that the code meets the project's standards and the developer's intentions are clearly communicated. If the documentation fails to validate the effectiveness and understanding of the code, the pull request (PR) may justifiably be considered for rejection.