Better Commit Messages using Templates

As a developer, one always needs to be learning consistently in-order to improve they’re skills that is exactly what I told my colleague the other day while I was scrolling through my phone trying to clean up some space, I remember he was like, “Mpho why do you have so many apps?”

I showed him one app that I use on a daily basis called “enki”, which builds a habit of acquiring new skills using their quick workout, games and learn new tips and tricks.

The other day, as I was browsing through the app - I picked up something that I have always neglected in the past from the app - Writing better commit messages using a template.

One can easily see from the image, that I needed to improve the way I wrote my commit messages, hence the post.

commit-messages

Automate Git Commit Messages

The seven rules of a great Git commit message

  • Keep in mind: This has all been said before.
  • Separate subject from body with a blank line
  • Limit the subject line to 50 characters
  • Capitalize the subject line
  • Do not end the subject line with a period
  • Use the imperative mood in the subject line
  • Wrap the body at 72 characters
  • Use the body to explain what and why vs. how

Here’s a useful template for writing better commit messages. Set your commit message template to:

nano ~/.git/git-commit-template.txt

# <type>: (If applied, this commit will...) <subject> (Max 50 char)
# |<----  Using a Maximum Of 50 Characters  ---->|


# Explain why this change is being made
# |<----   Try To Limit Each Line to a Maximum Of 72 Characters   ---->|

# Provide links or keys to any relevant tickets, articles or other resources
# Example: Github issue #23

# --- COMMIT END ---
# Type can be
#    feat     (new feature)
#    fix      (bug fix)
#    refactor (refactoring production code)
#    style    (formatting, missing semi colons, etc; no code change)
#    docs     (changes to documentation)
#    test     (adding or refactoring tests; no production code change)
#    chore    (updating grunt tasks etc; no production code change)
# --------------------
# Remember to
#    Capitalize the subject line
#    Use the imperative mood in the subject line
#    Do not end the subject line with a period
#    Separate subject from body with a blank line
#    Use the body to explain what and why vs. how
#    Can use multiple lines with "-" for bullet points in body
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------

To apply the template,

Save the above file to your local machine and use

$ git config --global commit.template <.git-commit-template.txt file path>

For example, if you saved it to your home folder, try:

$ git config --global commit.template ~/.git-commit-template.txt

Try it yourself, and let me know what you think