How to Write an Effective, Useful Git Commit Message
Commit messages are short descriptions of each commit in a version control system like Git. When you commit changes to your project files, you should provide a message explaining what they do or why you made them.
Commit messages serve as a form of documentation and communication. They play a crucial role in maintaining a clear and organized version history of a project. Learn how to write good commit messages and the other members of your team will appreciate your work even more.
Structure of a Good Commit Message
A good example of a commit message includes four sections: Type, Description, Body, and Footer.
The type describes the kind of change made in the present commit. it’s possible to use whatever system makes sense to your circumstances. For example, here are some sample keywords you can use to signal each type of change, alongside example use:
Description
The “description” of a commit message is a concise and descriptive summary of the changes made in the commit. It serves as a headline that captures the essence of the commit.
When writing the description, keep the following in mind:
For example:
This example shows how you’re able to write the description for a commit thatimplements dark mode. It uses thefeattype because it introduces a new feature.
Body (Optional)
The body section of a commit message provides additional details and context about the changes made in the commit. You won’t always need a body, but it can help provide more information, explain a change’s reasoning, or describe any technical considerations.
Here are some things to note while writing the body section of a commit message:
The example above shows a good Git commit message for a feature that addsGitHub as an OAuth providerto your application. This commit message has a concise summary line (50 characters or less), a more detailed explanatory text (wrapped to about 72 characters), and bullet points for additional information.
Footer (Optional)
The footer section in a commit message is an optional part that provides additional information or metadata related to the commit. It is typically placed after the body section, separated by a blank line. The footer can include various types of information, such as references to related issues, tags, or special notes.
When referencing issues, pull requests, or other related items, use the appropriate syntax or format required by your project’s issue-tracking system. This ensures that the references are properly recognized and linked.
The footer references the related issue #123 and mentions other related issues #456 and #789 for additional context.
Adding the Commit Message
You can write commit messages using the-mflag followed by the commit message enclosed in quotes (optional but recommended).
The-mflag is ideal for short commit messages, usually including the type and description.
However, when your commit message requires more detail, such as a body and a footer, you’d be better off writing the commit in a text editor or IDE.
Alternatively, you can write long commit messages in a text file and use the–fileflag to specify the commit messages as the contents of the text file.
When you run the command above, git will use the file’s contents as the commit message.
You can also tell git to open your default editor to write a longer message. If you have the GIT_EDITOR or EDITOR environment variable set, git will open that program when you run a baregit commitcommand.
Why You Should Write Good Commit Messages
Writing good commit messages is crucial for effective collaboration and code maintenance. Clear and descriptive messages aid understanding, debugging, and code reviews. They can even contribute to project documentation or release notes.
They enable knowledge sharing, smooth onboarding, and support version control. Prioritizing quality commit messages enhances development processes and ensures codebase maintainability.
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