An informational reviewer joins a pull request to learn and share knowledge, not to gate the change. Their approval is optional, but they acknowledge reviewing the assigned work. section 3.1.3
Use the role to make knowledge transfer part of everyday review:
- Assign an experienced reviewer when a contributor is learning an unfamiliar language or codebase area. section 3.1.3
- Include newer team members on complex pull requests instead of excluding them because they cannot yet provide a full review. section 3.1.3
- Pair observation with mentoring, then consider granting approval privileges after a two-to-four-month learning period. section 3.1.3
Learning through a complex pull request
A new team member is added as an informational reviewer for a difficult change in an unfamiliar part of the codebase. They study the discussion, acknowledge the review, and gradually become ready for required-reviewer responsibilities. section 3.1.3
