When code review is agile and fun, it actually gets done.
Recognized as one of the most effective methods for finding bugs while they are the least expensive to fix, code review removes defects at the source. And we’ve listened to eight years of customer’ feedback that proves it. CodeCollaborator is the most full-featured, powerful, agile-friendly and easy to use peer code review tool anywhere. CodeCollaborator helps development teams review and improve code quality regardless of methodology - waterfall or agile - so you can work the way you want and deliver higher quality code faster! And now, Agile feature enhancements make developer collaboration and interaction even easier, helping all developers become equally skilled at implementing user stories during sprints.
Fantastic Features
Streamlined Code Reviews
Sleek, Intuitive User Interface
Navigation that makes sense, designed with a minimal number of clicks in mind, simplifies the entire code review process. Streamlined views provide instant access to all code review information and flexible workflows increase productivity and make reviews faster.
Threaded, Contextual Chat
File changes, chat conversations, and defects are linked together in your code review. Each conversation is threaded by file and line number, and you can view it simultaneously with file content. No need to switch back and forth between emails and editors.
Choose between multiple views, or download differences to your local machine for further inspection and testing. Hyperlink directly to a file or line numbers.
Asynchronous Review
Perform and manage code reviews even when participants are separated by many time zones.
CodeCollaborator tracks all conversations and actions like newsgroups, so it's easy to view and edit the review at any time. Keep track of which reviews are still not finished, what everyone has been saying, and which defects have been fixed.
Real-Time Chat
The web-based "chat" interface really is just like instant messenger. If another user chats, your screen will automatically update in real-time – no need to refresh the screen.
Test and Diff Files Locally
Compare any version of a file with any other version. Download a ZIP file containing the latest contents of all files under review. Expand into your development environment for manual testing, checking the build, and running unit tests.
Or click a button to download all diffs and view in a local diff viewer such as DiffMerge or Araxis Merge.
Track Review Status
View review status using new participant grouping and status options. Participant grouping by state or role displays who is active in, waiting for, or approved a review. Per-review materials status uses concise status summary icons to provide quick hover-over access to per-reviewer status.
Back to top
Integrating Code Reviews with Your Development Environment
16 Version Control Integrations
Integrates with more version control systems than any other tool, including:
- AccuRev
- CMVC
- CVS
- Rational ClearCase
- ClearCase Remote Client
- Git
- MKS
- Mercurial
- Perforce
| - Rational Synergy
- Rational Team Concert
- Star Team
- Subversion
- Surround
- Team Foundation Server
- Vault
- Visual Source Safe
|
Review before or after check-in. Support for Perforce Shelvesets extends code review to shelved Perforce files.
Before local file changes are checked into version control, upload them for review with a single click. Or upload already checked-in changes by label, date, branch, changelist number, and more. Enhanced Git integration provides review of commited Git changelists.
You can even upload arbitrary files or file-differences from your local hard drive.
Eclipse Plug-In
Review code without leaving Eclipse. Users of Eclipse-based development tools can use CodeCollaborator without leaving the IDE while enjoying ClearCase Remote Client support. Compare file versions, enter comments and defects, view Action Items, upload files with version control integration, and lots more.
Go to our Eclipse update site to start using the Eclipse plug-in today.
Visual Studio Add-In
Create a review or add files to a review from the Visual Studio Solution Explorer. Supports Visual Studio 2005 and higher.
Supports Visual Studio 2005 and higher.
Learn how to create a review using in Visual Studio today.
SOAP API
Extend CodeCollaborator to integrate with reporting, bug tracking, external applications, and tools of your choice using the new SOAP API.
Database Support
CodeCollaborator supports a variety of databases, including MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and Oracle. For trials, we ship with a zero-configuration embedded database that you can migrate to a real database at any time.
Our database schema is completely documented so you can run your own reports.
Mylyn integration
The CodeCollaborator Mylyn Connector allows you to manage reviews in Eclipse from a unified Mylyn Task List, alongside tasks from more than 50 ALM solutions. Available as part of TaskTop Enterprise, the connector uses Mylyn’s task-focused interface technology to make your source review process even more efficient: you’ll automatically see only the code that is relevant for a given code review, you’ll enjoy in-IDE awareness of new reviews and review status changes, and your code reviews can be linked to relevant defects and stories to provide instant in-depth context.
Download and learn more about the Tasktop-certified connector.
Back to top
Review Metrics, Reporting, and Administration
Metrics
CodeCollaborator automatically collects metrics like man-hours spent in review (without stopwatches!), LOC inspected, and defect data. Easily compute key metrics such as defect density, inspection rate, and defect detection rate.
Customizable Reporting
Extensive reports are already built in and available with a click. You can also customize reports to show everything from status of pending code reviews to detailed audit trails. Choose from 40 columns and filters including customizable fields to collect data for each participant in a review.
View results on-line, print, or export as CSV. View the SQL used to make the report to jumpstart a report-writing tool such as Excel, Access, or Business Objects.
User Management
Authenticate users internally or through corporate LDAP or ActiveDirectory. Manage privileges and activity. Usage metrics can be captured for reports on inspection rate and defect rate.
Optionally define groups of users. Groups could be based on organizational hierarchy, project assignments, or whatever you choose. Group definitions can be imported from an external system (e.g. LDAP, Active Directory, version control, etc.). Each review may be associated with a group, which is used to narrow the list of candidate participants for the group. Group or Participant Review Security grants access to reviews based on participant status or group membership. Reports can be filtered and sorted by group. Group administration can optionally be delegated to multiple users.
Super Search
Search across review chat conversations, custom fields, defects, file paths, and users. Find all reviews that contain a certain file, or all defects relating to a certain checklist item, or recent reviews that a user participated in or created.
Back to top
Flexible Reviews & Automated Workflows
Customizable Workflows
Change the rules for the review depending on pre-defined, configurable review types. A "Self Check" review might only require that the author look over his own files. A "Formal" review might require a moderator, author, one or more reviewers, and a recorder. Configurable roles allow you to indicate the expectations of each person in the review and control what each user can do and view. Per-user control over workflow allows you to mark reviews “Waiting” or “Finished”, and also let you choose which events will re-open the review or notify you about review updates. The reject a review option enables teams to track and audit end-to-end code review workflow in a way that improves software quality and developer skill levels. In rejecting a review, team members are able to impart additional mentoring and feedback that reinforces both desired code review process and quality objectives.
Subscriptions
You can have yourself added automatically to new reviews. Be a reviewer or observer whenever some other user creates a review, or subscribe to certain files. Subscription uses include:
- Code Ownership: Be the reviewer whenever someone modifies your code.
- Mentoring: Assign a mentor to new hires who will always review their code.
- Notification: Be an observer for any review in your group.
Server-Side Triggers
The CodeCollaborator server will execute your custom script upon certain events such as review-creation and files uploaded. The script can effect change on the server using our command-line or with a batch XML command language.
Use triggers to enforce custom workflow rules. Also use triggers to integrate CodeCollaborator defects into external issue tracking systems.
Back to top
Defect Management
Contextual Defects / To-Do´s
When you find a problem, create a defect. Customizable fields let you collect as much or as little data as you want.
Defects are threaded by file and line number but are also viewable in an overall review log. Authors correct defects and can upload changes back to the review for verification.
Even if line numbers shift around because of the defect fix, CodeCollaborator is smart enough to keep all chat conversations and defects threaded to the correct logical line of code. Try doing that with email!
Defect Tracking
Once you log a defect, CodeCollaborator tracks it as part of the review and makes sure all defects are addressed before review completion. It also captures defect information for your review reports.
Typically all defects should be resolved before you complete a review, but if you need to defer a defect – for example, if the problem not related to the code changes in the review – CodeCollaborator can share the defect details with your Issue Tracking system.
Back to top
Cool New Code Review Features
With Code Collaborator, say goodbye to the tedious and time-wasting aspects of code reviews. No more meetings, printouts, manual metrics collection, finding a specific line number, correlating comments to code, or losing track of bugs found vs. fixed.
Thousands of users all over the world use it to write better code and collaborate more effectively with their teams. Try it yourself, free!