React Code Review Checklist

Version: 1.1.0 | Updated: 2026-07-16

Purpose

Gate correctness, security, operability, and maintainability of a React component, Hook, context boundary, or route UI.

Why

React correctness depends on source plus package.json plus the lockfile entries for React, renderer, router, state, and test libraries; tsconfig.json and ESLint React/Hook rules; the nearest component, test, CSS, and Storybook conventions. Diff-only review is insufficient.

How

Review the change with its target/version fingerprint, then execute applicable native commands: npm run lint -- --max-warnings=0; npx tsc --noEmit; npm test -- --runInBand using the repository test script; npm run build and inspect the emitted bundle report when configured; React DevTools Profiler: record the exact interaction and compare committed renders. Findings must identify the violated React invariant.

Version-aware caution

Read the installed react and react-dom versions from the lockfile. Concurrent rendering, form actions, and server integration differ across React and framework releases; never copy an API from current react.dev into an older dependency graph without checking that release's reference.

Tradeoffs

Review must prove "Hooks are top-level and exhaustive dependency analysis is satisfied without suppression" using package.json plus the lockfile entries for React, renderer, router, state, and test libraries. That React evidence costs more than diff inspection but exposes Rules of Hooks violations before merge.

Anti-patterns

A page-wide context holding unrelated mutable state causes every consumer to share a render and release boundary.
Do not remove a native warning, validator, policy, or safety limit merely to make generated output pass.
Do not claim a successful result without preserving the command, target, artifact/revision, and observed output.

Enterprise considerations

For React estates, govern design-system packages, browser support, telemetry consent, third-party scripts, and accessibility evidence centrally; product teams retain ownership of feature behavior.

Official sources

Checklist

Hooks are top-level and exhaustive dependency analysis is satisfied without suppression.
derived values are computed during render instead of mirrored through an Effect.
state is colocated with its owner; context values and callbacks avoid accidental identity churn.
list keys represent durable entity identity, never position where order can change.
loading, empty, error, disabled, and interrupted interaction states are represented.
native HTML semantics, focus behavior, accessible names, and keyboard operation are tested.
tests assert user-visible behavior with the project's renderer rather than component internals.
Profiler evidence justifies memoization; useMemo and memo are not speculative.
Disable the owning feature flag first; otherwise redeploy the previous immutable client assets while preserving API compatibility for already-cached bundles.
Evidence identifies version, target, artifact/revision, command or manual method, UTC time, and result.

Changelog

1.1.0 (2026-07-16): Replaced generic gates with native React evidence and failure controls.
1.0.0 (2026-07-16): Added initial checklist.