Write good git commit messages

Re:Write good git commit messages by laumars on Wednesday December 12, 2018 @07:44AM (#18663394)

You'll get plenty of devs who's make an impassioned argument that present tense reads better (and they'd be right to an extent) but honestly it's really more of an OCD thing than anything. The important thing is that messages are detailed enough to be accurate but terse enough to be eyeballed quickly (if you need more detail then include that after the first line summary); and that you include reference numbers if you're commit is in relation to a ticket (eg JIRA, Github Issues, etc).

Some people add tags, emoticons and other stuff. But the real key is consistency. Pick a format and stick with it

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Write good git commit messages by brlewis on Wednesday December 12, 2018 @08:41AM (#18663751)

If the key is consistency, use present tense. If you consistently use past tense, that works until your team merges with another one that's more conventional.

The commit message is the headline of your story. Headlines are in present tense even though they describe past events.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Write good git commit messages by laumars on Wednesday December 12, 2018 @09:04AM (#18663948)

Honestly, out of all the things people argue about this has always struck me the strangest. It's the part that makes the least real world difference (vs not including ticket numbers - for example) yet it seems to be the thing people get the most impassioned about.

Consistency is important, but if you're expending more energy arguing about it than you would deciphering past tense message then you have serious questions to ask yourself. :P

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Write good git commit messages by jstimpfle on Wednesday December 12, 2018 @08:51AM (#18663844)

If you want consistency, do the simplest thing possible. Past tense is more complicated then present tense, and does not add value.

[ Parent | on HN ]