Git Commit

Git Commit Helper

Create professional git commits with detailed messages that document what changed and why.

When to Use

• Committing staged changes
• Writing commit messages
• Reviewing changes before commit

Workflow

1. Verify Branch

Never commit directly to protected branches.

git branch --show-current

• If on main or master, create a feature branch first
• Branch naming: feature/description or username/issue-id-description

2. Review Changes

# View staged changes
git diff --staged

# View file list with stats
git diff --staged --stat

# List all staged files
git diff --staged --name-only

Verify only relevant files are staged. Exclude temp files, node_modules, .env, etc.

3. Write Commit Message

Use conventional commit format with detailed body:

type(scope): short summary (50 chars max)

Detailed description explaining what and why.

## What Changed
- Main accomplishment 1
- Main accomplishment 2

## Files Changed
- `path/to/file.ts` - +X/-Y lines
  - Specific changes made
- `path/to/new-file.ts` - Created (X lines)

## Affected Components
- Component or system affected

Related: ISSUE-ID

Commit Types

4. Create Commit

git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
feat(auth): add password reset flow

Implements complete password reset with email verification.

## What Changed
- Added reset request endpoint
- Created email template
- Added token validation

## Files Changed
- `src/auth/reset.ts` - +120/-0 lines
- `src/email/templates/reset.html` - Created

Related: AUTH-123
EOF
)"

5. Push to Remote

# First push (sets upstream)
git push -u origin branch-name

# Subsequent pushes
git push

Best Practices

• Present tense: "add feature" not "added feature"
• Explain why: Not just what changed, but motivation
• List all files: Use git diff --staged --name-only to verify
• Include stats: Line counts help reviewers gauge scope
• Never skip hooks: Avoid --no-verify unless explicitly needed

Safety Rules

• Never push to main/master without explicit confirmation
• Never force push to shared branches
• Never commit secrets (.env, credentials, API keys)
• Always verify staged files before committing