A clearer view of every diff.

What is Diffraction?

Diffraction is the UI review layer for code changes. It inspects a changed web application as a user would experience it, looking for visual and interaction regressions that are difficult to see in a code diff.

The starting point is a GitHub pull request. The review uses the changed code and the project’s context to decide which surfaces and user flows need a closer look.

Look beyond the code

A layout can be valid code and still hide a button. A route can load successfully and still leave a user at a dead end. Diffraction brings the rendered application and the interactions around a change into the review.

Visual and interaction findings are called aberrations: departures from the experience the project expects. Repository-supplied design rules and references provide that context; aesthetic preference alone is not a defect.

Start with the experience

Choose a meaningful flow: reaching a page, completing a form, or moving through a checkout. Think about the expected result at each step and the browsers and screen sizes that matter to that flow.

Existing end-to-end tests can provide useful context and reusable coverage. The review should also consider the surrounding experience affected by the change.

From findings to evidence

A useful review makes its scope visible and connects findings to the steps and recordings behind them. Read the workflow guide to follow a review from the pull request, then learn how to interpret recordings and incomplete coverage.