Automate code style reviews
What does this MR do?
Suggest that code style be enforced via automation instead of during code review comments.
The Development Department headcount growth makes it ever less likely that human reviewers will consistently enforce code style.
In line with our Transparency value of reproducibility, code style/formatting enforcement should be done automatically. Doing so will also avoid unnecessarily slowing-down the Merge Request review process and help achieve our Mean Time To Merge KPI.
Because it's not always possible to write automation to enforce, and especially improve, code style, the change merely suggests rather than mandate this approach.
Related issues
Author's checklist (required)
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Follow the Documentation Guidelines and Style Guide. - If you have
developer
access or higher (for example, GitLab team members or Core Team members)-
Apply the documentation label, plus: - The corresponding DevOps stage and group label, if applicable.
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development guidelines when changing docs under
doc/development/*
,CONTRIBUTING.md
, orREADME.md
. -
development guidelines and Documentation guidelines when changing docs under
development/documentation/*
. - development guidelines and Description templates (.gitlab/*) when creating/updating issue and MR description templates.
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Assign the designated Technical Writer.
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Do not add the feature, frontend, backend, ~"bug", or database labels if you are only updating documentation. These labels will cause the MR to be added to code verification QA issues.
When applicable:
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Update the permissions table. -
Link docs to and from the higher-level index page, plus other related docs where helpful. -
Add GitLab's version history note(s). -
Add the product tier badge. -
Add/update the feature flag section. -
If you're changing document headings, search doc/*
,app/views/*
, andee/app/views/*
for old headings replacing with the new ones to avoid broken anchors.
Review checklist
All reviewers can help ensure accuracy, clarity, completeness, and adherence to the Documentation Guidelines and Style Guide.
1. Primary Reviewer
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Review by a code reviewer or other selected colleague to confirm accuracy, clarity, and completeness. This can be skipped for minor fixes without substantive content changes.
2. Technical Writer
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Optional: Technical writer review. If not requested for this MR, must be scheduled post-merge. To request for this MR, assign the writer listed for the applicable DevOps stage. -
Add Technical Writing and docs::
workflow label. -
Add docs-only when the only files changed are under doc/*
.
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3. Maintainer
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Review by assigned maintainer, who can always request/require the above reviews. Maintainer's review can occur before or after a technical writer review. -
Ensure a release milestone is set. -
If there has not been a technical writer review, create an issue for one using the Doc Review template.