Once upon a time there was a talented group of developers working on a project. They used a powerful spellbook called Git to weave their code together and create amazing software.

One day, a new sorcerer joined the team. This sorcerer was skilled in coding magic but had a tendency to be forgetful. They would weave intricate spells into the code, but when others tried to understand or collaborate on the project, confusion and chaos ensued.

The elder wizards of the team decided to cast a spell of wisdom upon the new sorcerer. They taught them the importance of leaving behind a trail of magical messages every time they made changes to the spellbook, Git. These messages, known as Git commit messages, were like little scrolls that explained the purpose and essence of each enchantment.

As the sorcerer began to embrace this magical practice, something incredible happened. The wizards found that they could easily follow the path of changes, understand the intentions behind each spell, and collaborate seamlessly. Their secret weapon? The powerful and concise Git commit messages that guided them through the twists and turns of the magical codebase.

Reasons to follow

Clarity and Readability: Clear commit messages enhance understanding and readability of the code history.

Documentation: Well-crafted commit messages serve as documentation, explaining the evolution of the codebase.

Facilitates Code Reviews: Clear commit messages expedite code reviews by providing a quick understanding of changes.

Bug Tracking and Issue Management: Connect commits to issues for effective bug tracking and issue management.

Reverting and Identifying Changes: Well-documented commits ease identification of changes and facilitate the reverting process.

Collaboration and Communication: Commit messages foster collaboration by communicating decisions and context within the team.

Automatic Changelog Generation: Commit messages aid automatic changelog generation for version releases.

Tips

Start with a concise one-line summary: The first line should be a brief, one-sentence summary of the change.

Provide additional details in the body: Use the body of the commit message to provide more context, describe why the change is necessary, and explain any trade-offs or decisions made during the process.

Use the imperative mood: Write commit messages in the imperative mood (e.g., “Fix bug” instead of “Fixed bug” or “Fixes bug”). This makes the messages more consistent and readable.

Keep it concise but informative: Strive for clarity and brevity. Avoid overly long commit messages, but include enough information for others to understand the purpose of the change.

Tools

VSCode: Commit Message Editor

The humble Git commit message is a powerful charm. It weaves more clarity, understanding, and collaboration into the fabric of the code and development process, ensuring that the magic of programming flourishes for generations to come.