Writing good commit messages in Git - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Writing good commit messages

Start Commit

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Write short summary (<=50 chars)

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Add blank line

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Write detailed description

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Review message

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Save and close commit

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Commit recorded

This flow shows the steps to write a clear and helpful git commit message, starting with a short summary, then a blank line, followed by a detailed description.

Execution Sample

Git

git commit -m "Fix login bug"

# Detailed message:
# The login failed due to missing token check.
# Added token validation to fix the issue.

This commit message has a short summary and a detailed explanation separated by a blank line.

Process Table

Step	Action	Message Part	Result
1	Write short summary	Fix login bug	Summary line created
2	Add blank line		Blank line added after summary
3	Write detailed description	The login failed due to missing token check. Added token validation to fix the issue.	Detailed description added
4	Review message	Fix login bug The login failed due to missing token check. Added token validation to fix the issue.	Message ready to save
5	Save and close commit		Commit recorded with message

💡 Commit message saved and commit recorded in git history

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 1	After Step 2	After Step 3	Final
commit_message		Fix login bug	Fix login bug	Fix login bug The login failed due to missing token check. Added token validation to fix the issue.	Fix login bug The login failed due to missing token check. Added token validation to fix the issue.

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why do we add a blank line after the short summary?

The blank line separates the summary from the detailed description, making the message easier to read and follow, as shown in step 2 of the execution_table.

Can the short summary be too long?

Yes, it should be 50 characters or less to keep it concise and clear, as demonstrated in step 1 where the summary is short and direct.

What if I skip the detailed description?

Skipping the detailed description can make it harder for others to understand the reason behind the change. Step 3 shows adding details improves clarity.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the commit_message after step 3?

A Fix login bug The login failed due to missing token check. Added token validation to fix the issue.

B Fix login bug

C gub nigol xiF

D The login failed due to missing token check.

💡 Hint

Check the commit_message value in variable_tracker after step 3

At which step is the blank line added in the commit message?

A Step 1

B Step 2

C Step 3

D Step 4

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Action' and 'Message Part' columns in execution_table for the blank line addition

If the short summary is longer than 50 characters, what is the likely effect?

A The commit message will be rejected by git

B The detailed description will be ignored

C The message will be harder to read and less clear

D The commit will fail to save

💡 Hint

Refer to key_moments about summary length and clarity

Concept Snapshot

Writing good commit messages:
- Start with a short summary (<=50 chars)
- Add a blank line after summary
- Write a detailed description explaining the change
- Review message before saving
- Clear messages help team understanding

Full Transcript

To write a good git commit message, start by writing a short summary line that briefly describes the change. This summary should be 50 characters or less to keep it concise. Next, add a blank line to separate the summary from the detailed description. Then write a detailed explanation of what was changed and why. Review the entire message to ensure clarity and helpfulness. Finally, save and close the commit message to record the commit. This process helps keep commit history clear and useful for everyone on the team.