Conversely, if your goal is to remove the maximum number of defects, you will want to do the code reviews when they are most effective. The compiler is equally effective before or after the review, so if you find any of the defects it would miss, you are ahead. My preference is to review the code before compiling and then use the compiler as a check on the quality of my code review. If the compiler find more than a very few defects, I probably have a quality problem and need re reexamine my review practice. This is also a good guide for then to update your Code Review Checklist