Glossary Updates12 new terms added to the glossaries · October 2, 2026, 22:44 CEST
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Glossary · Automation software engineering and architecture

Code review

Also known as: Peer review (code), Code inspection

German: Code-Review

In software engineering, a code review is a systematic examination of source code changes by one or more people other than the author, to find defects, check compliance with coding standards and requirements, and share knowledge before the change is accepted.

  • Software engineering

In one sentence

A code review is a systematic examination of source code changes by others to find defects and check standards before acceptance.

Example

Every change to the safety PLC program is reviewed by a second engineer against the safety requirements specification, and the review record is stored with the change request.

How it applies

  • Engineering: Reviews range from lightweight pull-request reviews to formal inspections with checklists and roles. For PLC code, graphical languages and binary project files can make review harder; export formats or compare tools help.
  • Functional safety: Standards such as IEC 61508-3 list code reviews and inspections among the verification techniques for safety-related software. The review must be documented and performed by someone with the required independence.
  • Documentation: Review records show what was reviewed, by whom, against which criteria and with which findings. The documentation team can be added as reviewers for changes that affect operator-visible behavior, alarms or parameters, so manuals are updated in the same change.

Code review vs. testing

Reviews find defects by reading; tests find them by executing. Reviews catch issues tests miss, such as unclear logic, unhandled cases and standard violations, while tests reveal runtime behavior. Both are forms of Verification, and neither replaces the other.

By knowledge.aitechdoc.world · Published September 26, 2026 · Last reviewed

Source: AI TechDoc Blog editorial definition, based on software review practice (IEEE 1028, IEC 61508-3 context)

Definitions follow the cited standards and specifications. Where a source is a copyrighted publication, such as an ISO, IEC or EN standard, the definition is a close paraphrase, not a verbatim quotation, so as not to infringe copyright. We recommend reading the original publication. The sections “How it applies” are editorial commentary by AI TechDoc Blog and are not part of any standard.

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