> I need to run tests, use goto definition and other editor navigation features, apply local changes to check if some things could have been written differently, look at the wider context to notice things that should have been changed, and in general notice anything that might be not quite right with the codebase
It sounds like the author really wants pair programming
There are certainly situations where, as a reviewer, 5 minutes of goto-definition on a PR branch, or a well-placed debug breakpoint while running a test, is all you need to write a more prescriptive comment than “I don’t understand how this data flows” - and thus avoid both a follow up meeting and the need to pair program in the first place.
Pairing absolutely has its place, but it’s not always the most optimal use of time.
It sounds like the author really wants pair programming