Mark changes to files as "reviewed" in merge requests
Feature flag: local_file_reviews. See rollout issue.
Problem to solve
In large merge requests (especially ones that have a number or revisions) it can be hard to keep track of the files that you have already reviewed and are happy with.
Further details
Currently some users collapse files that I have reviewed to track progress, but this state is not persisted through sessions.
The ability to mark as approved pending comment/discussion resolution. i.e. I make a comment and will approve the change once the comment is resolved
Proposal
- Provide a mechanism to mark files in the context of a merge request as "reviewed"
- Collapse files that have been marked as "reviewed"
- Persist this state on return visits
- Clear the state if new changes are introduced to a relevant file
- Out of scope: Provide counter for how many files have been reviewed thus far
IMPORTANT NOTE: The first iteration of this will be frontend only and rely on LocalStorage to track state. (Details)
Further info
Competition
Competitive analysis
| Name | Description | Screenshot |
|---|---|---|
| Azure DevOps | In the file browser, there are checkboxes next to each file and directory to mark them as reviewed. There's also a Mark as reviewed option in an overflow dropdown for each file.Reviewed/viewed files are not visible to others. |
 |
| GitHub | There's a Viewed checkbox in each file header. Selecting it collapses the file.Reviewed/viewed files are not visible to others. |
 |
| Gerrit | In the file list, has a Mark reviewed button for each file.In the file detail, has a checkbox next to each file name. Files are automatically marked as reviewed when opened, both in the list and in their own page. Reviewed/viewed files are not visible to others. |
CleanShot_2020-11-24_at_12.16.20
|
| Reviewable | Has an eye icon next to each file name. Also has a Mark reviewed and go to next file button at the bottom of each file.Reviewed/viewed files are visible to others after publishing the review. |
CleanShot_2020-11-24_at_12.11.46 |
UX Research Insight
When reviewing code changes in the diff view, the size of manually collapsed files can be a visual distraction, as users progress through a code review. Managing collapsed files that have already been reviewed can become challenging if the state is not properly remembered after a user refreshes the page. Additionally, users need to be able to track the progress they’ve made after viewing files.
Action: Explore the concept of reducing the size of manually "collapsed" files in a Merge Request. Give users the ability to mark files they've already viewed so they are hidden throughout the rest of the code review.
Source: Dovetail insight
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