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Soumyajit Mukherjee
Soumyajit Mukherjee

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What Makes a Good Git Commit?

#git #github #programming #devtools

Git commits are more than checkpoints.

They form a historical record of how a project evolved.

Unfortunately, many repositories contain commits like:

update
fix
changes
final
final2
please work
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These messages aren't very useful.

A Better Commit

Instead of:

fixed stuff
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write:

Fix duplicate order creation during checkout
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A good commit should communicate the purpose of the change.

Keep Commits Focused

A commit like:

Add authentication
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might include:

  • Login
  • Registration
  • Password reset
  • UI redesign
  • Database migration
  • Random formatting changes That's difficult to review.

Instead, separate logical changes when possible.

Why Small Commits Help

Focused commits make it easier to:

  • Review code
  • Revert changes
  • Find bugs
  • Understand history
  • Cherry-pick changes
  • Debug regressions

Conventional Commits

Some teams use a convention such as:

feat: add password reset flow
fix: prevent duplicate payments
docs: update installation guide
refactor: simplify user service
test: add order validation tests
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This creates predictable history.

Commit Messages Should Explain Why

This:

Update payment service
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is vague.

This is better:

Retry failed payment requests after temporary gateway errors
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The second message tells future developers what changed and why it matters.

Final Thoughts

Your Git history is documentation.

Write commits as if someone will need to understand them six months from now.

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