Apart from speeding up the software development process, there are numerous other benefits to using an automated code review service. Using a code review service can help groups to ensure that all the code review activities are carried out by the appropriate team members, which means that any issues with the code are identified and resolved quickly. However, not all code review tools are created equally. In order to find out which tools are best for your needs, it’s important to consider both the benefits code analysis tools offer and the different ways in which they can be used.


What Is the Code Review Process?
The majority of code review tools are web-based. They allow users to search through a repository of code, identifying patterns and defects that may exist within it. Code analysis tools can then be used to identify these patterns and defects, allowing developers to fix them before they become defects in the coding. Sometimes, a bug can be located and reported without a developer having spent much time analyzing code. For this reason, many analysis tools have “hot” defect reports—those that send out an alert if a particular flaw is found.
Why Should You Use Code Review Tools?
Automation helps speed up the whole process, which is why many developers choose to use these tools. However, automated code review tools don’t always pick up every single error. In order for your code analysis tool to pick up all relevant bugs, you’ll need to spend some time manually reviewing every code file. It may also help developers to make a few simple changes to their code to make sure it picks up more errors.
Meta Information Collection and Code Analysis
Another tool that is gaining in popularity amongst mobile development teams is the metadata collector. This is a tool that uses metadata to collect information about the code in your app, which it then uses to create an index of code instances. This makes metadata collection a great tool for mobile app teams. Metadata collection does not integrate well with static code analysis tools, however, so most metadata collectors will simply report the overall average time taken to execute code. If your code takes a long time to execute, however, you may find it makes it harder to find bugs.
Mobile Security Testing
Another way to improve your app development cycle is to turn to automated tools for mobile security testing. One popular option is code-level security testing, which detects security issues in the code as it runs. This approach is both faster and more accurate than manual security testing, which makes it a common practice in the mobile world. Code-level security testing is also a good option for both iOS and Android apps. It is especially effective in detecting vulnerabilities that manifest themselves in “strings” or code.
Faster Development Lifecycle
Code review tools can help mobile development teams stay on top of the code review lifecycle. Because code review tools can notify mobile development teams of issues in real-time, developers are able to address issues as they arise. For companies with multiple mobile platforms, this can be particularly valuable. Many companies choose to implement their own code review tools in order to stay on top of the code review lifecycle, which can make finding issues easier.
Choosing the Best Code Review Tool for Your Business
There are a number of different types of code review tools available, depending on the size of your team and budget. For smaller teams, manual code review tools can be helpful, as can different types of integrated security testing solutions. With larger teams, however, it’s often best to go with automated tools for the iOS and Android apps. Whatever you decide, it’s important for mobile development teams to stay on top of the code review process so they can maintain a high level of quality and security for all of their projects.