A commit message preserves the intent behind a change. Treat it as lightweight documentation and preventive maintenance: write a clean, purposeful history that future readers can understand without reverse engineering the code. section 3.2.1
A readable commit structure
Subject: state the intent of the change Body: explain the reasoning when necessary Related ticket: preserve traceability when relevant Keep one feature together rather than scattering it across several commits. section 3.2.1
Use commit messages to reduce future cognitive load:
- Lead with a concise subject line that states intent. section 3.2.1
- Add the reasoning behind the change when the subject is insufficient. section 3.2.1
- Reference related tickets when traceability matters. section 3.2.1
