# Verifying C changes Files: `.c`, `.h`. Derived from 6 scanned source repositories and 67 review prompts on https://awesomereviewers.com. Page: https://awesomereviewers.com/verify/c/ How to use this: run every check under *Run on every change*. Then, for each section under *Add when the change touches* that describes your diff, run its checks too. Checks catch what a tool can find; then apply the listed review prompts for what tools miss (fetch each prompt's raw URL). Usage is the share of scanned repositories in this language that run the tool. A missing tool means no scanned repository runs one the scanner recognises: fall back to the prompts. ## Run on every change - **Formatting** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Layout drift that buries the real change in the diff. - **Linting** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Bug-prone patterns, unused code and conventions the formatter does not cover. - **Type checking** — The compiler type-checks on every build and test run; a failing build is this check failing. - **Unit and integration tests** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Behaviour regressions on the paths the tests exercise. Review prompts (16 in total, most discussed first): - [Clear Semantic Identifier Naming](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/redis-clear-semantic-identifier-naming.md) — redis/redis, Naming Conventions - [Use idiomatic conventions](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/cpython-use-idiomatic-conventions.md) — python/cpython, Code Style - [Improve Readability Style](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/redis-improve-readability-style.md) — redis/redis, Code Style - [prefer concise expressions](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neovim-prefer-concise-expressions.md) — neovim/neovim, Code Style - [Use meaningful identifiers](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/tree-sitter-use-meaningful-identifiers.md) — tree-sitter/tree-sitter, Naming Conventions - [Use descriptive names](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neovim-use-descriptive-names.md) — neovim/neovim, Naming Conventions - [Simplify conditional logic](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/tree-sitter-simplify-conditional-logic.md) — tree-sitter/tree-sitter, Code Style - [Clear unambiguous naming](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/cpython-clear-unambiguous-naming.md) — python/cpython, Naming Conventions - [Extract and reuse](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neon-extract-and-reuse.md) — neondatabase/neon, Code Style - [Consistent semantic naming](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/sonic-consistent-semantic-naming.md) — bytedance/sonic, Naming Conventions - [Use utility macros](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/runtime-use-utility-macros.md) — dotnet/runtime, Code Style - [Use semantic identifiers](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/linux-use-semantic-identifiers.md) — torvalds/linux, Naming Conventions ## Add when the change touches ### Authentication, input handling, secrets, permissions - **Security scanning**: `codeql` (33% of repos). Runs via GitHub Action github/codeql-action/analyze. Docs: https://github.com/github/codeql - **Secret scanning** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Credentials and tokens committed to the repository. - **Dependency audit** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Known-vulnerable or disallowed dependencies and licenses. Review prompts (3 in total, most discussed first): - [Fail Fast Input Validation](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/redis-fail-fast-input-validation.md) — redis/redis, Security - [Secure sensitive data handling](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/cpython-secure-sensitive-data-handling.md) — python/cpython, Security - [audit license dependencies](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/istio-audit-license-dependencies.md) — istio/istio, Security ### Public APIs, signatures, error paths, nullability - **Type checking** — The compiler type-checks on every build and test run; a failing build is this check failing. - **Unit and integration tests** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Behaviour regressions on the paths the tests exercise. - **Property-based tests** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Edge-case inputs nobody wrote a test for; invariants over generated data. Review prompts (14 in total, most discussed first): - [Robust C API error handling](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/cpython-robust-c-api-error-handling.md) — python/cpython, Error Handling - [Nullable Contracts Enforcement](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/redis-nullable-contracts-enforcement.md) — redis/redis, Null Handling - [Fail/Clamp Error Contracts](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/redis-failclamp-error-contracts.md) — redis/redis, Error Handling - [API Contracts And Compatibility](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/redis-api-contracts-and-compatibility.md) — redis/redis, API - [validate memory bounds](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/sonic-validate-memory-bounds.md) — bytedance/sonic, Null Handling - [validate early, fail fast](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neovim-validate-early-fail-fast.md) — neovim/neovim, Error Handling - [Explicit undefined state handling](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/yoga-explicit-undefined-state-handling.md) — facebook/yoga, Null Handling - [Validate and safely clear nullable pointers](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/cpython-validate-and-safely-clear-nullable-pointers.md) — python/cpython, Null Handling - [Initialize before dereferencing](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neovim-initialize-before-dereferencing.md) — neovim/neovim, Null Handling - [Handle all error paths](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neon-handle-all-error-paths.md) — neondatabase/neon, Error Handling - [Validate before access](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/runtime-validate-before-access.md) — dotnet/runtime, Null Handling - [API extensibility parameters](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neovim-api-extensibility-parameters.md) — neovim/neovim, API ### Service and framework code - **Unit and integration tests** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Behaviour regressions on the paths the tests exercise. - **Version and platform matrix**: `ci-matrix` (67% of repos). Command seen: `build (go-version: 4)`. Docs: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/how-tos/write-workflows/choose-what-workflows-do/run-job-variations ### Algorithms, parsers, data transforms - **Property-based tests** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Edge-case inputs nobody wrote a test for; invariants over generated data. - **Fuzzing** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Crashes, panics and hangs on malformed input, especially in parsers and decoders. - **Mutation testing** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Tests that keep passing whatever the code does. - **Proofs and specifications** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Design-level bugs in protocols and algorithms, checked against a specification. Review prompts (9 in total, most discussed first): - [Correct Fast-Path Semantics](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/redis-correct-fast-path-semantics.md) — redis/redis, Algorithms - [Validate recursive algorithms against nesting](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/cpython-validate-recursive-algorithms-against-nesting.md) — python/cpython, Algorithms - [validate algorithm boundaries](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/tree-sitter-validate-algorithm-boundaries.md) — tree-sitter/tree-sitter, Algorithms - [Decompose complex algorithms](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/runtime-decompose-complex-algorithms.md) — dotnet/runtime, Algorithms - [Optimize data structures](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neon-optimize-data-structures.md) — neondatabase/neon, Algorithms - [optimize algorithmic complexity](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/llama.cpp-optimize-algorithmic-complexity.md) — ggml-org/llama.cpp, Algorithms - [Algorithm specification compliance](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/yoga-algorithm-specification-compliance.md) — facebook/yoga, Algorithms - [optimize data structure operations](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neovim-optimize-data-structure-operations.md) — neovim/neovim, Algorithms - [bounds checking first](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/sonic-bounds-checking-first.md) — bytedance/sonic, Algorithms ### Threads, async code, locks, shared state - **Concurrency model checking** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Races and orderings that fail only under specific interleavings. - **Undefined-behaviour detection** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Memory-safety and aliasing violations in unsafe code. - **Property-based tests** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Edge-case inputs nobody wrote a test for; invariants over generated data. Review prompts (4 in total, most discussed first): - [Lock the right resource](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/cpython-lock-the-right-resource.md) — python/cpython, Concurrency - [Thread Ownership Discipline](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/redis-thread-ownership-discipline.md) — redis/redis, Concurrency - [prevent autocommand reentrancy](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neovim-prevent-autocommand-reentrancy.md) — neovim/neovim, Concurrency - [Guard against race conditions](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neon-guard-against-race-conditions.md) — neondatabase/neon, Concurrency ### Network calls, retries, timeouts, protocols - **Unit and integration tests** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Behaviour regressions on the paths the tests exercise. - **Fuzzing** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Crashes, panics and hangs on malformed input, especially in parsers and decoders. Review prompts (4 in total, most discussed first): - [leverage kernel network structures](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/istio-leverage-kernel-network-structures.md) — istio/istio, Networking - [follow protocol standards](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neovim-follow-protocol-standards.md) — neovim/neovim, Networking - [Handle network interrupts safely](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neon-handle-network-interrupts-safely.md) — neondatabase/neon, Networking - [Check feature compatibility](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/netty-check-feature-compatibility.md) — netty/netty, Networking ### UI components and pages - **End-to-end browser tests** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: User flows broken across components, routing and the network. - **Linting** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Bug-prone patterns, unused code and conventions the formatter does not cover. ### Databases, migrations, caching - **Unit and integration tests** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Behaviour regressions on the paths the tests exercise. - **Version and platform matrix**: `ci-matrix` (67% of repos). Command seen: `build (go-version: 4)`. Docs: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/how-tos/write-workflows/choose-what-workflows-do/run-job-variations Review prompts (1 in total, most discussed first): - [Consistent TTL Pre-check](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/redis-consistent-ttl-pre-check.md) — redis/redis, Caching ### Hot paths and performance - No tool-based check applies; rely on the prompts. Review prompts (6 in total, most discussed first): - [Bounded Prefetch Batches](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/redis-bounded-prefetch-batches.md) — redis/redis, Performance Optimization - [Benchmark hot-path regressions](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/cpython-benchmark-hot-path-regressions.md) — python/cpython, Performance Optimization - [Optimize aligned SIMD operations](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/runtime-optimize-aligned-simd-operations.md) — dotnet/runtime, Performance Optimization - [Optimize what matters](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neon-optimize-what-matters.md) — neondatabase/neon, Performance Optimization - [optimize memory usage patterns](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/tree-sitter-optimize-memory-usage-patterns.md) — tree-sitter/tree-sitter, Performance Optimization - [optimize hot path performance](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/istio-optimize-hot-path-performance.md) — istio/istio, Performance Optimization ### Model, prompt and LLM code - **Unit and integration tests** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Behaviour regressions on the paths the tests exercise. ### Logging, metrics, tracing - No tool-based check applies; rely on the prompts. Review prompts (1 in total, most discussed first): - [consolidate related logging](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/tree-sitter-consolidate-related-logging.md) — tree-sitter/tree-sitter, Logging ### CI workflows and configuration files - **CI workflow linting** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Broken GitHub Actions syntax, script injection, over-broad token permissions. - **File hygiene**: `pre-commit-hooks` (17% of repos). Runs via pre-commit hook check-yaml. Autofixes. Docs: https://github.com/pre-commit/pre-commit-hooks Review prompts (4 in total, most discussed first): - [Conditional compilation guards](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/tree-sitter-conditional-compilation-guards.md) — tree-sitter/tree-sitter, Configurations - [Configuration context alignment](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neon-configuration-context-alignment.md) — neondatabase/neon, Configurations - [Explicit configuration requirements](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/llvm-project-explicit-configuration-requirements.md) — llvm/llvm-project, Configurations - [Centralize platform configurations](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/runtime-centralize-platform-configurations.md) — dotnet/runtime, Configurations ### Dependencies and lockfiles - **Dependency audit** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Known-vulnerable or disallowed dependencies and licenses. - **Lockfile consistency** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: A lockfile that no longer matches its manifest. - **Version and platform matrix**: `ci-matrix` (67% of repos). Command seen: `build (go-version: 4)`. Docs: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/how-tos/write-workflows/choose-what-workflows-do/run-job-variations ### The tests themselves - **Mutation testing** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Tests that keep passing whatever the code does. - **Version and platform matrix**: `ci-matrix` (67% of repos). Command seen: `build (go-version: 4)`. Docs: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/how-tos/write-workflows/choose-what-workflows-do/run-job-variations Review prompts (1 in total, most discussed first): - [preserve known test issues](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/llvm-project-preserve-known-test-issues.md) — llvm/llvm-project, Testing ### Documentation and comments - **Docs build** — no tool detected in the sample. Catches: Broken cross-references, links and markup in documentation. - **Spelling**: `codespell` (17% of repos). Runs via GitHub Action codespell-project/actions-codespell. Docs: https://github.com/codespell-project/codespell Review prompts (4 in total, most discussed first): - [Doc Semantics Consistency](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/redis-doc-semantics-consistency.md) — redis/redis, Documentation - [Documentation accuracy standards](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/neovim-documentation-accuracy-standards.md) — neovim/neovim, Documentation - [Document non-obvious logic](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/runtime-document-non-obvious-logic.md) — dotnet/runtime, Documentation - [Meaningful comment practices](https://awesomereviewers.com/raw/sonic-meaningful-comment-practices.md) — bytedance/sonic, Documentation ## Source repositories [torvalds/linux](https://awesomereviewers.com/sources/torvalds-linux/), [neovim/neovim](https://awesomereviewers.com/sources/neovim-neovim/), [python/cpython](https://awesomereviewers.com/sources/python-cpython/), [redis/redis](https://awesomereviewers.com/sources/redis-redis/), [tree-sitter/tree-sitter](https://awesomereviewers.com/sources/tree-sitter-tree-sitter/), [bytedance/sonic](https://awesomereviewers.com/sources/bytedance-sonic/)