?? Level Up Your Git Game: Crafting Clear and Descriptive Commit Messages
Shobhakar Tiwari
iOS Lead Engineer | Frontend Developer | SwiftUI | Swift | Building for Apple Platform
Note : Took help from Perplexity to convert my understanding into this article.
Great code deserves great documentation, and clear commit messages are a crucial part of that. They help developers understand changes, track progress, and collaborate effectively.
Here are the best practices for writing commit messages:
?? Clear and Concise:
? Use present tense and imperative mood (e.g., "Fix bug" not "Fixed bug")
? Keep the subject line under 72 characters for better readability
? Focus on the impact of the change, not just the action
?? Include Context:
? Briefly explain the reason for the change, if needed
? Reference related issues or pull requests (e.g., "Fixes #123")
?? Consistency is Key:
? Consider using prefixes like "feat" for features, "fix" for bug fixes
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? Follow your team's established styles or tools for formatting
?? Benefits of Clear Commit Messages:
? Easier collaboration and code review
? Improved understanding of project history
? More efficient troubleshooting and bug fixing
Personal Experience:
Once, I was solving an issue where any change in the Couchbase server database was not immediately syncing the data and updating the data for the mobile UI, which was showing the flight schedule. When I tried to debug it, I remember the struggle of trying to understand the project's history when commit messages were vague or unclear. It was like trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. That's when I realized the importance of crafting clear and descriptive commit messages.
The "How to Write a Git Commit Message" guide by Chris Beams (https://cbea.ms/git-commit/) provides a comprehensive overview of best practices and examples.Let's share your best practices for writing commit messages in the comments!#git #commitmessages #development #codingstandards #collaborationBy following these tips and sharing resources, we can contribute to cleaner, more maintainable codebases and foster effective collaboration within our development teams.