I Used to Leave 50 Comments in Every Code Review. Here’s Why I Stopped

A seasoned developer reflects on how their code review approach evolved from leaving 50+ nitpicky comments to demonstrate expertise to adopting a more empathetic method. They realized that overwhelming junior developers with criticism doesn't improve code quality or earn respect, but discovered that thoughtful reviews help developers learn while building real leadership credibility. Their new approach focuses on automating basic formatting issues, encouraging early check-ins to prevent major rewrites, having quick conversations for complex feedback, and balancing criticism with positive recognition.