Code review like a senior engineer: AI prompt for software engineering
A ready-to-run prompt for coding assistance work in software engineering. It assigns the AI a specific senior role, takes your details as variables, and defines the output format — so the first result is usable, not a warm-up.
What this prompt does
Act as a staff engineer reviewing a pull request. It structures the request the way experienced practitioners brief a colleague: context first, then explicit deliverables, then quality constraints.
Best for
Software Engineering professionals — and anyone doing this work — who need coding assistance handled to a professional standard for engineers and technical stakeholders. Typical moments: design reviews, incident retros and sprint planning.
Before you use it
Have these details ready to replace the highlighted variables:
[paste code][language]
The prompt
Act as a staff engineer reviewing a pull request. Here is the code: [paste code]. Review for: correctness and edge cases, security issues, performance, readability and naming, and adherence to [language] idioms. Format as: blocking issues, suggestions, nitpicks. For each, show the problematic line and a corrected version. End with an overall verdict: approve, approve with comments, or request changes.
Quality checklist before you run it
- Paste actual code and errors, not summaries of them
- Run and test suggested code before committing
- Never paste secrets, keys or proprietary data you can't share
Common mistakes
- Running the prompt with [variables] left unfilled
- Accepting the first output instead of iterating once or twice
- Skipping fact-checks on names, numbers and claims
When to use it — and when not to rely on it
Use it whenever coding assistance would otherwise start from a blank page. Don't rely on it as a finished product: outputs need your judgment, your facts, and — in regulated work — professional review.
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