Open Code Review: inspect review scope, filters and model work
Run a controlled first review with Open Code Review
Choose a Git scope, inspect preview output and save a review result without confusing a file-selection preview with a completed model review.
What you will learn
- Install and inspect before adding credentials
- Choose references deliberately
- Save a result you can inspect
Before you start
- Git changes and merge-base comparisons
- Basic CLI use and model API credentials
Choose a review scope, explain exclusions, prepare a controlled pilot and distinguish source inspection from runtime evidence.
Key takeaways
- Untracked files belong to workspace mode.
- Range reviews start at a merge base.
- Provider configuration can make a connectivity request.
Install and inspect before adding credentials
The README documents installation through npm and requires Git 2.41 or newer. Record the installed OCR version and your Git version. For a repeatable team rollout, select an audited release and pin it; an unversioned npm install will follow the package’s current release.
Begin in a repository containing only synthetic examples. The preview command exposes file selection before a normal model review. Check the excluded files as carefully as the selected files, especially when tests or unusual file extensions carry important behavior.
Choose references deliberately
Use workspace mode while preparing local changes. For a branch review, provide the intended base and target; the documented comparison uses their merge base. A single-commit review answers a narrower question and should be selected when that is what the reviewer needs.
Untracked files are represented as additions in workspace mode. A local note or generated artifact can therefore affect the selection. Inspect the current repository status, the reference pair and the preview output before proceeding with any external model connection.
Save a result you can inspect
For a normal review, the interactive provider and model setup configures OCR’s model access. The configuration documentation says setup also tests connectivity. Use an approved endpoint and enter credentials privately; do not paste secrets into a shared terminal transcript or article example.
Save JSON output to a new file and inspect each comment against the source. Keep the preview and run outcome with it. This walkthrough describes documented commands; no API call, installation of OCR or real repository review was performed for this article.
Decision guide
| Criterion | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Best when | You need predictable behavior and easy auditing | You need adaptive optimization and have reliable telemetry |
| Main risk | May leave performance on the table | Can become difficult to explain or debug |
Implementation steps
- 1
Check git --version and install an audited OCR release using the documented npm package.
- 2
Run ocr review --preview in a synthetic repository and inspect the file list.
- 3
After approved model setup, save a JSON review and compare its comments with the change.
Copy-ready example
git --version
git status --short
ocr review --preview
# After approved provider configuration:
ocr review --format json --output review-demo.jsonFrequently asked questions
Can I preview without paying for a review?
The architecture documentation describes preview as determining scope without a model call. It does not execute the eventual review.
Why was a test file absent?
Built-in path exclusions can omit test files. Inspect the exclusion reason and explicit include rules before deciding whether the scope is appropriate.
Sources
- Open Code Review / README.mdSource checked 2026-09-18
- Open Code Review / pages/src/content/docs/en/architecture.mdSource checked 2026-09-18
- Open Code Review / pages/src/content/docs/en/configuration.mdSource checked 2026-09-18
- Open Code Review / internal/agent/selection.goSource checked 2026-09-18