Let’s Talk About Writing Commit Messages That Actually Make Sense
Commit messages might seem like a small thing when you’re knee-deep in code, but they’re like little breadcrumbs you leave for yourself and your team. A good one can save you from scratching your head weeks later, wondering what on earth you were doing. So, how do you write one that’s clear and helpful without feeling like a chore? It’s simpler than you might think.
Start with a type—a quick label that says what kind of change you’re making. Then add a short summary, and if it’s a bigger change, toss in a few extra details. That’s it! Let’s break it down a bit.
Kick Things Off with a Commit Type
Think of the commit type as a way to sort your changes into buckets. Here’s a quick rundown of the common ones:
| Type | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| feat | Adding something new | feat: add date filtering for GitHub activity |
| fix | Squashing a bug | fix: handle API failure when GitHub is down |
| refactor | Tidying up code without changing what it does | refactor: optimize API response formatting |
| docs | Updating documentation | docs: update README with API usage guide |
| chore | Little maintenance tasks | chore: add .gitignore and remove logs |
| style | Just making things look prettier | style: format code with Black |
| test | Adding or tweaking tests | test: add unit tests for date filtering |
These labels make it easy to skim your commit history and know what’s what. No need for anything fancy—just pick one and go.
Keep Your Summary Short and Sweet
Next up is the summary. Keep it quick—aim for under 50 characters if you can, but definitely cap it at 72. Write it like you’re giving a command: “Add this” or “Fix that.” It’s a quirky little standard in coding, but it works. For example:
feat: add API endpoint for fetching GitHub activityfix: resolve bug in date filtering logicdocs: update README with setup instructions
Avoid stuff like “Added a thing” or “Fixing bugs”—it’s too vague or wishy-washy. Be specific, and you’ll thank yourself later.
Add Some Details When It Matters
For bigger changes, a short summary might not cut it. That’s where a detailed description comes in. After your type and summary, leave a blank line, then add a few lines about what you did and why. Here’s one I’d write:
feat: add GitHub activity API
- Fetches user events from GitHub API
- Supports filtering by single date or date range
- Caches results for faster responses
Closes #12
I remember when I first started coding, I’d skip this part entirely. My commit messages were just “updated code” or something equally useless. Weeks later, I’d be lost. Now, I love adding these little notes—especially for tricky fixes or big features. It’s like leaving a cheat sheet for my future self.
Tie It to Issues or Shout Out Your Team
If your commit ties back to an issue or pull request, mention it. Something like Closes #22 or Related to #15 keeps everything connected. And if you’re working with others, give them a nod with:
feat: add webhook support for GitHub activity
Co-authored-by: Edgar Gulay <edgargulay@outlook.com>
Co-authored-by: John Doe <johndoe@example.com>
It’s a nice way to share the credit.
Keep Your History Tidy
We’ve all been guilty of sloppy commits at some point. You know the ones: wip: working on it or fix: bug fixes. What were you working on? Which bug? Let’s avoid that, shall we? Instead, try:
fix: correct timestamp format in API response
It’s specific, it’s clear, and it won’t leave anyone guessing. Your commit history should tell a story, not a mystery.
A Little Bonus Trick
If you’re into automating things, you can set up a Git hook to nudge you into writing good commit messages. Here’s a quick way to do it:
echo 'exec < /dev/tty && git cz --hook || true' > .git/hooks/commit-msg
chmod +x .git/hooks/commit-msg
It’s like having a friendly reminder pop up every time you commit. Not required, but it’s a neat little helper.
Wrapping It Up
So, there you go! Commit messages don’t have to be a drag. Use a type, keep your summary short and punchy, add details when you need to, and avoid the vague stuff. They’re like little notes to your future self and your team—make them count. Happy coding!
Top comments (1)
this is one big thing now i know ;))