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Fresh agents review each new commit on a work item’s pull request, including a commit a person pushes. The review waits while a build or an agent job writes to the branch, and starts once it ends. The agent that built the change does not review it. A runner takes the review as a job of its own. The job runs in a new container or microVM, with no setup steps. Its agents read the commit and the change, and nothing they do can push. The review reports only problems that must be fixed:
  • wrong behaviour
  • a security problem
  • data loss
  • a test that cannot fail
  • a command, comment or document that says something the code does not do
It leaves out style, naming and opinion. The GitHub App posts the result as one COMMENT review on the pull request. A problem on a changed line gets a line comment. A review that did not read every changed file says so and lists the files. The result never changes the item’s status, the OuterLayer checks or Approve. The App never approves a pull request or requests changes.

When a review stops

OuterLayer stops a running review in these cases:
  • A newer commit lands on the pull request. A review of the new commit starts in its place.
  • A follow-up or a review waits for an agent job to write to the branch.
  • The pull request closes or merges.
A stopped review posts nothing on the pull request.

When no review runs

No review runs in these cases:
  • The item has more than one open pull request.
  • No runner takes review jobs. A runner takes them when it builds in a built-in container or microVM. A runner that uses a provision hook of your own, or a sandbox, takes none.
The run log of Code review says why a review stopped or did not run. See Read the run log of a built-in automation.

Turn the review off

To turn the review off, open Settings, then Automations, on the factory. Use the switch beside Code review. It is on by default.

Act on problems from the Code review tab

The Code review tab shows every problem of the newest review. You do not need GitHub to act on a problem. The tab’s label shows the number of open problems. The top of the tab says how many problems wait on you. It names the reviewed commit and says whether the review read every changed file. When the review did not read some files, choose the count to list them. Full diff on GitHub opens the whole pull request. The tab has two parts:
  • On the left, the list of every problem, in groups. Choose a problem to go to it.
  • On the right, one card for each problem. A card shows the problem’s reason, then its code, then the notes and replies.
A card of a problem that waits on you or the agent shows the diff around the problem’s line. To see more of the diff, choose Show more lines above or Show more lines below. Every other card shows the code the review stored. A card marked Not changed is about a file that the pull request does not change. If OuterLayer cannot read the pull request from GitHub, the tab says so, and each card shows the code the review stored. Choose Retry now to read the diff again. The list has four groups: To send every open problem to the agent, choose Send all at the top of the tab. The button shows how many problems it sends. To send one problem, choose Send to agent on its card. To send some, select them, then choose Send to agent at the top of the list. The box at the top of the list selects every open problem. Problems you send together go to one agent job. To add context first, choose Add note. After the agent pushes, a new review checks each problem you sent. A problem that is still open returns to Open, and its button reads Send again. To dismiss a problem, choose Not a problem on its card, then one reason. To dismiss several, select them, then choose Not a problem at the top of the list. Each one gets the reason you choose. Real, but not for this change files one issue for each problem. Any member who can read the item sees the tab. To send, dismiss or add a note, you need the Record a review permission. Press ⌘K or Ctrl+K to list the keyboard shortcuts.