Git

Git Commit

Conventional Commits Format

<type>[optional scope]: <description>

[optional body]

[optional footer(s)]

Commit Types

• feat: New features (correlates with MINOR in semantic versioning)
• fix: Bug fixes (correlates with PATCH in semantic versioning)
• docs: Documentation only changes
• refactor: Code changes that neither fix bugs nor add features
• perf: Performance improvements
• test: Adding or modifying tests
• chore: Maintenance tasks, dependency updates, etc.
• style: Code style changes (formatting, missing semicolons, etc.)
• build: Changes to build system or dependencies
• ci: Changes to CI configuration files and scripts

Scope Guidelines

• Scope is OPTIONAL: only add when it provides clarity
• Use lowercase, placed in parentheses after type: feat(transcription):
• Prefer specific component/module names over generic terms
• Your current practice is good: component names (EditRecordingDialog), feature areas (transcription, sound)
• Avoid overly generic scopes like ui or backend unless truly appropriate

When to Use Scope

• When the change is localized to a specific component/module
• When it helps distinguish between similar changes
• When working in a large codebase with distinct areas

When NOT to Use Scope

• When the change affects multiple areas equally
• When the type alone is sufficiently descriptive
• For small, obvious changes

Description Rules

• Start with lowercase immediately after the colon and space
• Use imperative mood ("add" not "added" or "adds")
• No period at the end
• Keep under 50-72 characters on first line

Breaking Changes

• Add ! after type/scope, before colon: feat(api)!: change endpoint structure
• Include BREAKING CHANGE: in the footer with details
• These trigger MAJOR version bumps in semantic versioning

Commit Messages Best Practices

The "Why" is More Important Than the "What"

The commit message subject line describes WHAT changed. The commit body explains WHY.

Good commit (explains motivation):

fix(auth): prevent session timeout during file upload

Users were getting logged out mid-upload on large files because the
session refresh only triggered on navigation, not background activity.

Bad commit (only describes what):

fix(auth): add keepalive call to upload handler

The first commit tells future developers WHY the code exists. The second makes them dig through the code to understand the purpose.

Other Best Practices

• NEVER include Github copilot, Claude Code or opencode watermarks or attribution
• Each commit should represent a single, atomic change
• Write commits for future developers (including yourself)
• If you need more than one line to describe what you did, consider splitting the commit