Code Inspections

Introduction to Code Inspections

A code inspection originally introduced by Fagan at IBM is similar  to a walk  through but is  more formal. In  an inspection,  the review team checks the code and documentation  against a prepared list of concerns. For example  the team may examine the definition and use of data types and structures to see if their use is consistent with the design  and with system standards and procedures. The team can review algorithms and computations for their correctness and efficiency. Comments  can be compared wide code to ensure that they are accurate and complete. Similarly the interfaces among components can be checked for correctness. The team may even estimate the code performance characteristics in terms of memory usage or processing speed in preparation for assessing compliance with performance requirements. Inspection code usually involves some steps given as:

(a) The  team may meet  as a group  for an overview  of the code and a description of the inspection goals.

(b) Then team members prepare individually for  a second group meeting. Each inspector studies the code and its related documents noting faults found.

(c) Finally in a group  meeting team members report that they  have found recording additional  faults discovered in the process of discussing individual findings. Sometimes faults discovered by  an individual are considered t be false positives items that  seemed to be faults but in  fact were  not considered by  the group to be true problem.

Inspection team members  are chosen  based on the inspection goals sometime a particular team member will have more than one role. For example it the inspection in intended to verify that the  interfaces are correct then the team should include interface designers. Because the goal is focus of  the inspection a team moderators not the  programmers is the  meeting leader using  a set of key  questions to be answered. As with walk through inspections criticize the code, not  the coder, and the results are not  reflected in  a performance evaluation.

In addition to defects there are quality issue  which  the review also addresses. The  first is efficiency, a modules may be implemented in an obviously inefficient manner and could be wasteful of  memory or the  computer time. The code could  also be violating  the local coding  standards. Although non adherence to coding standards cannot be classified as a defect, it is desirable to maintain the standard.  Standard can have restriction on annotations internal documentation, use  of global variable use of  recursion naming of variables maximum nesting  of loops  and alternative  constructs.

To follow  such  standards of code R. H Dunn has  provided  a checklist  for code reviews. The followings are some  of the  items that can  be included in a checklist for code reviews:

  • Do data definitions exploit the typing capabilities of the language?
  • Do all the pointers point to some object?(are there any dangling pointers)
  • Are the pointers set to NULL, where needed?
  • Are all the array indexes within bound?
  • Are indexes properly initialized?
  • Are all the branch conditions correct ( not too weak not too strong)?
  • Will a loop always terminate ( no infinite loops)?
  • Is the loop termination condition correct?
  • Is the number of loop executions off by one?
  • Where applicable are the divisors tested by zero?
  • Are imported data tested for validity?
  • Do actual and formal interface parameters match?
  • Are all variables used? Are all output variables assigned?
  • Can statements placed in the loop be placed outside the loop?
  • Are the labels unreferenced ?
  • Will the requirements of execution time be met?
  • Are the local coding standards met ?
  • Do data definitions exploit the typing capabilities of the language.?

These are some  of the  items  of checklist for code  reviews provided by Dunn.

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