Why Most Code Reviews Are a Waste of Time

When feedback becomes a ritual instead of a lever for quality, everyone loses.

If you’ve been in tech long enough, you’ve probably romanticized the idea of the code review.
It’s our sacred checkpoint — the gate that prevents bugs, enforces standards, and transfers knowledge between developers.
At least, that’s the story we tell ourselves.

The reality? In many teams, code reviews are nothing more than a glorified thumbs-up emoji. A quick skim, a “Looks good to me,” and a merge. The code passes, the ticket closes, and no one actually learns anything.

The Illusion of Safety

The mere act of reviewing code doesn’t guarantee better software — just as owning a gym membership doesn’t guarantee you’ll get in shape.
Yet, many companies treat the review process as a checkbox for “quality,” without ever defining what quality actually means.

Too often, the reviewer is juggling their own deadlines and sees the review as a speed bump rather than a shared responsibility. The end result? The review becomes a formality. A placebo for quality.

The Knowledge-Sharing Myth