Commit Standards

Standards for writing clear, concise git commit messages that communicate changes effectively.

Key Principles

1. Start with an imperative verb - adds, fixes, updates, removes, refactors
2. Keep it short - First line under 50 characters
3. Be specific - Describe what changed, not what was wrong
4. Use simple language - Avoid fancy or technical jargon when plain words work
5. Add context when needed - Use bullet points in the body to explain why

Instructions

When creating a commit message:

1. Analyze the staged changes with git diff --staged
2. Review recent commits with git log -5 --oneline to match project style
3. Choose the appropriate verb based on change type:
   • Adds - New files, features, or functionality
   • Fixes - Bug fixes or corrections
   • Updates - Changes to existing features
   • Refactors - Code cleanup without changing behavior
   • Removes - Deleting files or features
   • Improves - Performance or quality enhancements
4. Keep the first line under 50 characters
5. Add bullet points in the body for complex changes
6. ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL: Never mention AI, Claude, or other tools in commit messages - NO attribution text, NO co-author lines, NO emoji, NO exceptions

Examples

Good Commit Messages

Adds user authentication

- Creates login and registration pages
- Adds JWT token handling
- Stores user session in localStorage

Fixes payment processing error

- Validates amount before charging
- Handles network timeouts
- Shows error message to user

Updates installation instructions

Bad Commit Messages

❌ update stuff ❌ fix bug ❌ WIP ❌ Refactors authentication logic with help from Claude

Related Files

• message-format.md - Detailed commit message format rules
• examples.md - Good and bad commit message examples
• best-practices.md - Git workflow best practices