Writing scalable code is essential for any web application that expects to see a lot of traffic. Scalable code can handle an increasing number of users and data requests without performance degradation. Bito’s AI Code Review Agent can help developers write more scalable code by identifying potential scalability issues in code during code reviews.

The Agent’s specialized /review scalability command analyzes your code to identify potential roadblocks to handling increased usage or data. It checks how well the codebase supports horizontal scaling and whether it is compatible with load balancing strategies. It also ensures the code can handle concurrent requests efficiently and avoids bottlenecks from single points of failure. The command further examines error handling and retry mechanisms to promote system resilience under pressure.

Let’s look at an example.

The Problem

The AI Code Review Agent flagged a scalability issue related to the use of SQLite in a web application. SQLite, while lightweight and easy to use, is not designed to handle multiple concurrent requests efficiently.

This limitation arises because SQLite uses file-level locking, which can lead to database locking issues when multiple processes try to write to the database simultaneously.

As a result, applications relying on SQLite might experience performance bottlenecks and reduced concurrency, making them unsuitable for scenarios requiring high scalability.

The Solution

To address this issue, the Agent recommended replacing SQLite with a more robust database system such as PostgreSQL or MySQL. These database management systems are designed to handle higher concurrency and multiple connections efficiently.

By switching to PostgreSQL or MySQL, developers can ensure that their applications can scale effectively and handle increased loads without encountering database locking issues.

The provided code snippet demonstrates how to establish a connection to a PostgreSQL database using psycopg2, a popular PostgreSQL adapter for Python.

How to use the AI Code Review Agent?

The AI Code Review Agent integrates seamlessly with your GitHub or GitLab repositories.

Follow this simple guide to integrate the Agent with your repository. 

After that, trigger an AI Code Review Agent analysis by entering the command /review scalability in a comment box below the pull request. Submit the comment, and the agent will analyze the code for scalability issues, providing valuable feedback directly within the pull request.

Conclusion

Scalability is a critical aspect of modern software development, and tools like AI Code Review Agent play a vital role in identifying and addressing potential issues early in the development process. By leveraging the /review scalability command, developers can gain insights into their code’s scalability challenges and implement the necessary changes to ensure their applications remain performant as they grow.

As development practices continue to evolve, integrating AI-driven tools into the workflow can significantly enhance the robustness and scalability of software solutions.