Claude Code: Best Practices for Local Code Review

Getting started with Claude Code takes just a few minutes. Follow these steps:

1. Install Claude Code
    claude 
   Installs the core CLI tool for local code analysis. Use the documentation for guidance.
2. Initialize your project
    /init 
   Creates a  CLAUDE.md  file with your project context so Claude understands your codebase.
3. Connect the marketplace
    /plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-code 
   Connects your setup to the official Claude plugin marketplace, where you can browse available plugins for additional functionality.
4. Install the plugin
    /plugin install pr-review-toolkit 
   Adds a plugin for running local and automated PR reviews. Check the plugin source for more details.

Claude Code lets you run reviews at different levels, from full checks to targeted inspections of specific code aspects. Let’s take a look at the main ways to use it:

1. Full Review (all agents)
    /pr-review-toolkit:review-pr  — runs a complete review using all agents to catch bugs, check tests, analyze documentation, and enforce best practices.
2. Focused Review (specific aspects)
   • Tests and error handling
      /pr-review-toolkit:review-pr tests errors  — checks only test coverage and fix code errors.
   • Comments and documentation
      /pr-review-toolkit:review-pr comments  — reviews code comments and documentation.
   • Type design 
      /pr-review-toolkit:review-pr types  — evaluates type definitions and consistency.
   • General code review
      /pr-review-toolkit:review-pr code   — performs a standard code quality review.
   • Code simplification 
      /pr-review-toolkit:review-pr simplify  — suggests ways to simplify complex code.
3. Parallel Review (faster)
    /pr-review-toolkit:review-pr all parallel  — runs all agents at the same time for faster feedback
4. Natural Language Queries 
   Ask Claude Code questions in plain English, and it will automatically use the right agents:
   • "Check if the tests cover all edge cases."
   • "Review error handling in getUserById."
   • "Is my documentation accurate?"

5. Specialized Agents
   Claude Code uses six specialized agents for different aspects of code review:

   • comment-analyzer — checks comments and documentation

   • pr-test-analyzer — analyzes test coverage and quality

   • silent-failure-hunter — finds hidden errors in error handling

   • type-design-analyzer — evaluates type design and invariants

   • code-reviewer — general code quality review

   • code-simplifier — simplifies complex code

   Tip: Use  /agents  to see the full list of available agents.

Here are some common ways to integrate Claude Code into your development workflow:

1. Before committing code
    /pr-review-toolkit:review-pr code errors → Get a list of issues → Fix code errors manually before committing.
2. Before creating a pull request (PR)
    /pr-review-toolkit:review-pr all → Get a comprehensive review from all agents → Fix the critical issues → Re-run the review to verify fixes.
3. After receiving PR feedback
    /pr-review-toolkit:review-pr tests → Check the changes → Fix any gaps in tests or coverage.
   

WHEN THE REVIEW IS COMPLETE, CLAUDE CODE PROVIDES:

• Critical Issues — must fix (with confidence scores)
• Important Issues — should fix
• Suggestions — nice to have improvements
• Positive Observations — what’s done well
• Direct file:line references for each issue

Even with powerful automation, good workflow habits make all the difference. Here are a few ways to get the most out of Claude Code and avoid common mistakes.

BEST PRACTICES

• Run reviews before creating a PR, not after. This helps you catch and fix issues earlier, saving time during review cycles.
• Use focused reviews to assess specific aspects such as tests, documentation, or code simplicity.
• After fixing issues, run a targeted review to confirm that your changes resolved the problems.
• Works with both staged and unstaged changes. You can review code that hasn’t been committed yet.
• Agents automatically analyze your git diff, so you only get feedback on what actually changed.
  

IMPORTANT:

• If You Ask Claude to Make Fixes?
  Claude can automatically suggest or apply fixes, but automation still needs human judgment. NEVER auto-accept all proposed changes. Always review them manually. Agents can make mistakes or unintentionally alter logic or structure.
• Some operations use Claude Opus, which consumes more quota, especially on Pro plans. If you’re using the API with usage-based pricing, be aware of potential additional costs.
  

Use AI tools like Claude Code in your workflow to catch issues early, speed up reviews, and improve code quality. Experiment with different prompts, refine your skills, and share your experiences with your team. Embracing AI-assisted development helps you stay current, learn faster, and collaborate more effectively, making your work smarter and more efficient.