Week 11: CST 338 - Software Design

 

Week 3 Learning Journal – HW 1 Code Review

This week was extremely busy. Between multiple programming assignments, studying for quizzes, and finishing up other coursework, I didn't get a single day off - not even Sunday. I worked through the entire weekend just to keep up. One of the last things I tackled was the code review assignment, not because it was difficult, but because it was worth fewer points compared to other assignments. Ironically, despite being worth less than half of another assignment, it took nearly the same amount of time. Reading, testing, and analyzing other students' code takes real focus - especially when you're trying to give meaningful feedback and not just check a box.

But I'll be honest: even though it felt like extra work at first, the peer code review assignment turned out to be one of the most helpful parts of the week. Looking through other people's code - seeing what they did right, where they made mistakes, or how they handled logic differently - was incredibly insightful. In one case, I noticed a classmate using a loop that didn't properly check for edge cases, and it reminded me to tighten up similar logic in my own project. In another review, I found a more efficient way to initialize a variable that I'd been overcomplicating. Little things like that add up fast, especially when you’re still shaping your coding style.

It was also humbling. Some of my classmates had clever, concise ways of writing functions that I initially overthought. And when I saw TODO comments or unused setters in their code, it reminded me to clean up my own before submission. The back-and-forth process of reading, commenting, and receiving feedback helped me catch things I wouldn't have noticed alone. It's not just about pointing out mistakes - it's about learning how to write clearer, cleaner, and more readable code. I realize now that reviewing code isn't just a grading task - it's an opportunity to improve as a developer.