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name: commit-standards description: Standards for writing clear, concise git commit messages. Use when creating commits, reviewing commit history, or establishing git workflow conventions.

Commit Standards

Standards for writing clear, concise git commit messages that communicate changes effectively.

Key Principles

1. Start with an imperative verb - adds, fixes, updates, removes, refactors
2. Keep it short - First line under 50 characters
3. Be specific - Describe what changed, not what was wrong
4. Use simple language - Avoid fancy or technical jargon when plain words work
5. Add context when needed - Use bullet points in the body to explain why

Instructions

When creating a commit message:

1. Analyze the staged changes with git diff --staged
2. Review recent commits with git log -5 --oneline to match project style
3. Choose the appropriate verb based on change type:
   • Adds - New files, features, or functionality
   • Fixes - Bug fixes or corrections
   • Updates - Changes to existing features
   • Refactors - Code cleanup without changing behavior
   • Removes - Deleting files or features
   • Improves - Performance or quality enhancements
4. Keep the first line under 50 characters
5. Add bullet points in the body for complex changes
6. ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL: Never mention AI, Claude, or other tools in commit messages - NO attribution text, NO co-author lines, NO emoji, NO exceptions

Examples

Good Commit Messages

CopyAdds user authentication

- Creates login and registration pages
- Adds JWT token handling
- Stores user session in localStorage

CopyFixes payment processing error

- Validates amount before charging
- Handles network timeouts
- Shows error message to user

CopyUpdates installation instructions

Bad Commit Messages

❌ update stuff ❌ fix bug ❌ WIP ❌ Refactors authentication logic with help from Claude

Related Files

• message-format.md - Detailed commit message format rules
• examples.md - Good and bad commit message examples
• best-practices.md - Git workflow best practices