- Software Testing Dictionary
- Home
Software Testing - Code Walkthrough
The software development life cycle (SDLC) has multiple phases. Each and every phase of it plays a critical role in the process of software development. Code walkthrough is an informal process of code review.
What is a Code Walkthrough?
A code walkthrough is primarily a review meeting initiated by the code author. He reads through the code in this meeting and other team mates ask questions, point out the coding errors and wherever code standards are not followed.
The author of the code leads a code walkthrough meeting and other team members attend it. There is no requirement of a moderator in this meeting. It is an open-ended discussion and there is not much focus on documentation. In short, a code walkthrough is a type of peer review and forms a part of the static testing. No formal review process is followed here.
In the hierarchy of code review which consists of technical review, inspection, and code walkthrough, the code walkthrough comes at the lowest level in terms of formality of the process.
Advantages and Purpose of Code Walkthrough
The advantages and purpose of code walkthrough are listed below −
- It is an informal approach of finding errors in the code.
- It enables all the team members to gather together and have a common understanding of the code, thereby increasing the collaboration and cooperation among all.
- It allows gathering of multiple feedbacks and open interactions among the team members.
Disadvantages of Code Walkthrough
The disadvantages of code walkthrough are listed below −
- There may be defects in the sections of the code which are not discussed in the walkthrough meeting.
- It takes a lot of time to conduct it.
- As the author himself leads the meeting, there is no guarantee to the fact that what is being discussed actually matches with code.
Difference Between Code Walkthrough and Inspection
| Sr.No | Code Walkthrough | Inspection |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | It is an informal process. | It is a formal process. |
| 2 | It is led by the code author. | It is conducted at the project level. |
| 3 | The team members of the same project take part in the code walkthrough meetings. | A group of specific team members from various projects in the department take part in the code inspection meetings. |
| 4 | No checklist is available to find defects in the code. | A collection of checklists are followed to find defects in the code. |
| 5 | It includes an overview of the code, no preparation, review, and follow up. | It includes an overview of the code, a thorough preparation, review, and follow up. |
| 6 | No formalized technique is followed. | Formalized techniques are followed. |
| 7 | It takes less time since there are no checklist items that need to be covered in the meeting. | It takes more time since all the checklist items need to be covered in the meeting. |
| 8 | It is totally unplanned. | It is a planned meeting with each member assigned with a defined set of roles and responsibilities. |
| 9 | The author reads through the code and the team members find the defects in the code. | The reader reads through the code and everyone goes through it and finds the defects there. |
| 10 | The author records all the defects and feedback received in the code. | The recorder records all the defects encountered in the code. |
| 11 | There is no moderator. | The moderator ensures that the discussions are conducted effectively in the meeting. |
Conclusion
This concludes our comprehensive take on the tutorial on Software Code Walkthrough. We’ve started with describing what is code walkthrough, what are the advantages, purpose, and disadvantages of code walkthrough, why code inspection is done, advantages and what are the differences between code walkthrough and inspection.
This equips you with in-depth knowledge of the Software Code Walkthrough. It is wise to keep practicing what you’ve learned and exploring others relevant to Software Testing to deepen your understanding and expand your horizons.