Code Review vs Code Walkthrough

Code walkthrough is informal process where code is executed at any time. Author of code leads the code walkthrough code review is formal process where review is done line by line in the formal meeting of developers and QA engineers.

Code review : A meeting at which software code is presented to project personnel, managers, users, customers, or other interested parties for comment or approval.It is systematic examination (sometimes referred to as peer review) of computer source code. It is intended to find mistakes overlooked in the initial development phase, improving the overall quality of software. Reviews are done in various forms such as pair programming, informal walkthroughs, and formal inspections.

Reviewers read the code line by line to check for:

• Flaws or potential flaws
• Consistency with the overall program design
• The quality of comments
• Adherence to coding standards

Code review may be especially productive for identifying security vulnerabilities. Specialized application programs are available that can help with this process. Automated code reviewing facilitates systematic testing of source code for potential trouble such as buffer overflows, race conditions, memory leakage, size violations, and duplicate statements. Code review is also commonly done to test the quality of patches.

Inspection

An inspection is, most generally, an organized examination or formal evaluation exercise. It involves the measurements, tests, and gauges applied to certain characteristics in regard to an object or activity. The results are usually compared to specified requirements and standards for determining whether the item or activity is in line with these targets. Inspections are usually non-destructive.

Code Walkthrough – walk-through is a form of software peer review “in which a designer or programmer leads members of the development team and other interested parties through a software product, and the participants ask questions and make comments about possible errors, violation of development standards, and other problems

A walkthrough is a term describing the consideration of a process at an abstract level.

The term is often employed in the software industry (see software walkthrough) to describe the process of inspecting algorithms and source code by following paths through the algorithms or code as determined by input conditions and choices made along the way. The purpose of such code walkthroughs is generally to provide assurance of the fitness for purpose of the algorithm or code; and occasionally to assess the competence or output of an individual or team.
The term is employed in the theatrical and entertainment industry to describe a rehearsal where the major issues of choreography and interaction are practiced and resolved, prior to more formal “dress rehearsals”.
The term is often used in the world of learning where a tutor/trainer will walk through the process for the first time. It is regarded as a literal walk through of the learning at the groups pace ensuring that everyone takes in the new knowledge and skills.
Something akin to walkthroughs are used in very many forms of human endeavour since the process is a thought experiment that seeks to determine the likely outcome(s) of an affair based on starting conditions and the effects of decisions taken.