How to write a proper commit message?

Crafting Meaningful Commit Messages

Crafting well-written commit messages is an essential skill for any developer working with Git, the popular distributed version control system. A good commit message can provide valuable context and clarity to your project's history, making it easier for you and your team to understand and maintain the codebase over time.

The Importance of Commit Messages

Commit messages serve as the primary means of communication about changes made to a codebase. They provide a concise summary of the modifications, bug fixes, or new features introduced in each commit. Well-written commit messages offer several benefits:

1. Improved Code Collaboration: Clear and informative commit messages help your team members understand the rationale behind changes, facilitating better collaboration and code reviews.

2. Easier Debugging and Troubleshooting: When issues arise, commit messages can help you quickly identify the relevant changes and their context, making it easier to debug and resolve problems.

3. Maintainable Project History: Comprehensive commit messages contribute to a well-documented project history, which is invaluable for onboarding new team members, understanding the evolution of the codebase, and making informed decisions about future development.

4. Automated Tools Integration: Many Git-based tools, such as issue trackers and continuous integration systems, can leverage well-structured commit messages to provide additional functionality, like automatically linking commits to related issues.

Anatomy of a Effective Commit Message

An effective commit message typically consists of three main parts:

1. The Subject Line: This is the first line of the commit message and should be a concise, yet descriptive summary of the changes made. The subject line should be limited to 50 characters or less and written in the imperative mood (e.g., "Add feature to handle user input").

2. The Body: The body of the commit message should provide additional context and details about the changes. It should explain the motivation behind the changes, the approach taken, and any relevant information that helps the reader understand the commit. The body should be wrapped at 72 characters to maintain readability.

3. The Footer: The footer is an optional section that can be used to include additional information, such as references to related issues, pull requests, or other relevant resources.

Here's an example of a well-structured commit message:

Implement user authentication feature

This commit adds a new user authentication feature to the application. It includes the following changes:
- Implemented a login and registration system using bcrypt for password hashing
- Added session management to keep users logged in across page refreshes
- Updated the user dashboard to display the logged-in user's information

Resolves #42

In this example, the subject line concisely describes the changes, the body provides additional context and details, and the footer references the related issue that the commit resolves.

Commit Message Guidelines

To write effective commit messages, consider the following guidelines:

1. Use the Imperative Mood: Write your commit messages in the imperative mood, as if you're giving a command (e.g., "Fix bug in login form" instead of "Fixed bug in login form").

2. Be Concise and Specific: Keep your subject line short (50 characters or less) and focus on describing the changes made in the commit, rather than providing a general summary.

3. Provide Context in the Body: Use the body of the commit message to explain the motivation behind the changes, the approach taken, and any relevant information that helps the reader understand the commit.

4. Reference Related Issues: If the commit is related to a specific issue or pull request, include a reference to it in the footer of the commit message (e.g., "Resolves #42" or "See #42").

5. Use Consistent Formatting: Maintain a consistent formatting style across your commit messages, such as capitalization, punctuation, and line wrapping.

6. Avoid Unnecessary Noise: Refrain from including irrelevant information, such as file names or line numbers, unless they are essential for understanding the changes.

By following these guidelines, you can write commit messages that effectively communicate the changes made in each commit, making it easier for you and your team to understand and maintain the project's history.