Start with a bounded change
Choose one issue with an observable result. Describe the expected behavior and identify the files or areas that should be involved. Keep the existing project instructions and work on a branch or workspace where changes can be inspected.
An assistant that can edit files or run commands needs a different review process from one that only suggests a line of code. The Claude Code overview documents project edits and commands; GitHub Copilot documentation describes several editor and agent workflows. Check the surface you are actually using.
Read the diff before accepting it
- Confirm that the change addresses the requested behavior.
- Inspect every modified file, including configuration and generated files.
- Check new dependencies, scripts and environment requirements.
- Look for unintended changes to permissions, data handling or existing work.
- Ask for an explanation of any change you cannot assess.
A confident explanation is not evidence that the code works. Compare it with the files and runtime behavior.
Verify the behavior, not the explanation
Run the checks appropriate to the change. For a bug fix, reproduce the original failure and confirm the expected result. For an interface change, inspect the affected layouts and interaction. Use the project’s established checks rather than adding tests that simply repeat the implementation.
Record what was actually run and any unresolved limit. A successful build does not prove every business workflow or deployment environment works.
Review cost and integration separately
Copilot, Cursor and Claude Code have different environments and allowances. Choose among them in the coding category; this guide covers the review process that remains necessary after a tool produces a change.
Trace one change from request to check
If the request is to keep archived items out of a list, find the actual filter and check both an archived and an active item. Review whether the change also affects search, counts or pagination before approving the patch.
Compare tools for your editor workflow
