What is code walkthrough in software engineering?

A code walkthrough is a commonly used, informal code analysis technique in software engineering.

The process

Code walkthroughs are a form of peer review. The author of the code typically leads a meeting attended by other members of the team.

A few members of the team are usually given a copy of the code a couple of days before the meeting. The author presents the document under review while the attending members run test cases over the code by hand. Team members may also ask the author any relevant questions.

All attending members share and discuss their own findings with the author.

The purpose

Code walkthrough is an informal analysis technique that aims to identify any defects within the code.

This also allows all members of the team to gain an understanding of the code, and thus enables cooperation and collaboration between members.

Advantages

• Incorporates multiple perspectives

• Fosters communication between the team

• Increases the knowledge of the entire team related to the code in question

Disadvantages

• Areas where questions are not raised may go unnoticed

• Lack of diversity, as the author leads the meeting and everyone merely verifies if what is being said matches the code

• Meetings can be time-consuming