tomevault-io Git Workflow Standards
When to Use
- Writing or reviewing commit messages
- Creating branches for features, fixes, or releases
- Preparing pull request descriptions
- Squashing or cleaning up commit history
- Establishing git conventions for a project
- Auditing an existing project's commit history and branch strategy
Commit Messages
Follow the Conventional Commits specification. This enables automated changelog generation, semantic versioning, and clear history.
Format
<type>(<scope>): <subject>
<body>
<footer>
Rules
- Subject line: Imperative mood, lowercase, no period, max 72 characters.
- Body: Wrap at 80 characters. Explain what and why, not how. Separate from subject with a blank line.
- Footer: Reference issues, breaking changes, or co-authors.
Types
| Type | When to use |
|---|---|
feat |
New feature or capability |
fix |
Bug fix |
docs |
Documentation only |
style |
Formatting, whitespace (no logic change) |
refactor |
Code restructuring without behavior change |
perf |
Performance improvement |
test |
Adding or updating tests |
build |
Build system, dependencies |
chore |
Maintenance tasks, tooling, config |
ci |
CI pipeline changes |
revert |
Reverting a previous commit |
Scope
Optional, but encouraged. Use the module, component, or area affected:
feat(api): add user search endpoint
fix(auth): handle expired refresh tokens
build(deps): update fastapi to 0.115
docs(readme): add deployment instructions
Examples
Single-line (small, self-explanatory changes):
fix(cors): allow credentials in preflight responses
With body (changes that need context):
feat(cache): add IndexedDB caching for dashboard data
Store API responses in IndexedDB keyed by endpoint and query params.
Serve cached data immediately on page load, then refresh in the
background. Reduces perceived load time for repeat visits.
With breaking change:
feat(api)!: change auth from API key to OAuth2
Migrate all endpoints to require Bearer token authentication.
API key header is no longer accepted.
BREAKING CHANGE: Clients must update to use OAuth2 tokens.
Anti-patterns
| Bad commit message | Problem |
|---|---|
update stuff |
No type, no scope, no useful information |
fix bug |
Which bug? What was the symptom? |
WIP |
Use git stash or draft branches instead |
address review comments |
Describe what actually changed |
| Giant commit touching many files | Split into focused commits |
Commit Granularity
Each commit should represent one logical change.
- If you can describe it with "and", split it into two commits.
- The test suite should pass on every commit (enables
git bisect). - Prefer many small commits during development, squash into logical units before merging.
Signs of good granularity
- A single commit can be reverted without side effects
- The diff is reviewable in under 5 minutes
- The commit message fully describes the change without "also"
Branch Naming
<type>/<short-description>
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
feat/user-search |
Feature work |
fix/token-expiry |
Bug fix |
docs/api-reference |
Documentation |
refactor/auth-module |
Refactoring |
release/v1.2.0 |
Release branch |
hotfix/null-pointer |
Production hotfix |
Rules:
- Lowercase, kebab-case
- Short but descriptive (3-5 words max)
- Include ticket number if applicable:
feat/PROJ-123-user-search
Pull Requests
Title
Follow the same conventional commit format as the squash/merge commit:
feat(api): add user search endpoint
Description Template
## What
Brief description of what this PR does.
## Why
Context on why this change is needed. Link to issue or ticket.
## How
High-level description of the approach taken.
## Testing
How this was tested. Include commands, test output, or screenshots.
## Checklist
- [ ] Linter passes
- [ ] Formatter applied
- [ ] Type checker passes
- [ ] Tests pass
- [ ] Documentation updated
- [ ] No secrets or credentials committed
Changelog
When maintaining a CHANGELOG.md, follow Keep a Changelog:
# Changelog
## [Unreleased]
### Added
- User search endpoint with fuzzy matching (#142)
### Fixed
- Token refresh handling for expired sessions (#138)
## [1.1.0] - 2026-03-15
### Added
- Dashboard caching with IndexedDB
Categories: Added, Changed, Deprecated, Removed, Fixed, Security.
Git Hygiene
- Write meaningful messages on every commit, even during early development.
- Use
.gitignorebefore the first commit. - Never commit secrets, credentials, or environment files.
- Never commit code that fails linting or type checking.
- Use
git stashfor work-in-progress rather than WIP commits. - Rebase/squash feature branches before merging to keep main history clean.
Release Tagging
Use annotated tags for all releases:
git tag -a v1.5.0 -m "Release v1.5.0"
git push origin main --follow-tags
Tag rules:
- Prefix with
v:v1.5.0, not1.5.0 - Tags are immutable — never delete and re-create
- Tag only commits where all CI checks pass
- Use
chore(release): v1.5.0for the version-bump commit
Source: michaelsvanbeek/personal-agent — distributed by TomeVault.