jkappers Commit Authoring
Create git commits following Conventional Commits v1.0.0.
When invoked with arguments, commit staged changes with a message for: $ARGUMENTS
This skill applies only to git commit messages. Do not apply these conventions to PR titles, branch names, changelog entries, or release notes unless explicitly requested.
Workflow
- Run
git diff --cachedto inspect staged changes - If no staged changes exist, report this and stop
- Analyze the diff to determine the appropriate type, scope, and description
- Compose the commit message following the rules below
- Run
git commit -m "<message>"(use a HEREDOC for multi-line messages) - Do not stage files. Only commit what is already staged.
Message Structure
<type>[optional scope]: <description>
[optional body]
[optional footer(s)]
Types
| Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
feat |
New feature |
fix |
Bug fix |
docs |
Documentation only |
style |
Formatting, whitespace |
refactor |
Neither fix nor feature |
perf |
Performance improvement |
test |
Adding or updating tests |
build |
Build system or dependencies |
ci |
CI configuration |
chore |
Maintenance tasks |
Scopes
Scope is optional. When used, set it to the module, component, or area of the codebase affected.
Derive scopes from the project structure. Use directory names or module names, not file names.
Examples: feat(auth):, fix(api):, docs(readme):, refactor(db):
Omit scope when the change is cross-cutting or affects the project root.
Description
Use imperative mood: "add feature" not "added feature" or "adds feature". Lowercase the first letter after the type prefix. Omit trailing period. Limit to 50 characters.
Body
Wrap at 72 characters. Explain what changed and why, not how.
Separate the body from the description with one blank line.
Use the body for context the diff alone does not convey: motivation, trade-offs, or constraints that influenced the approach.
Prohibited Content
Do not include any of the following in commit messages:
- AI attribution ("Generated with Claude Code", "Co-authored-by" lines for AI)
- Emoji in type prefixes or descriptions
- Time estimates or dates
- TODO items or future work references
- File lists (the diff already shows what changed)
- Apologies or hedging ("try to fix", "hopefully resolves")
Examples
Simple:
docs: correct spelling of CHANGELOG
With scope:
feat(lang): add Polish language
Breaking change:
feat!: send email to customer when product ships
BREAKING CHANGE: customers now receive emails by default.
With body:
fix: prevent duplicate form submissions
Disables submit button after first click and adds
debounce to the handler.
With footer:
fix: resolve race condition in auth flow
Refs: #123
Reviewed-by: Alice