Git's Imperative Mood

Git's Imperative Mood

The imperative mood is a powerful commit message convention widely adopted across Git repositories. It aligns with Git's own message style. It's probably one of the most popular conventions along with the conventional-commits.

The Golden Rule

Your commit message should complete this sentence:

If applied, this commit will ...

For example:

• "If applied, this commit will add user authentication"
• "If applied, this commit will fix memory leak in worker pool"

Examples Reference Table

Additional Good Examples

• Add input validation to login form
• Implement rate limiting for API endpoints
• Upgrade dependencies to latest versions
• Initialize Docker configuration
• Migrate database to PostgreSQL
• Resolve merge conflicts in user module
• Document API authentication process

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Fixed the thing that was broken
• Changing some stuff
• Updates and improvements
• Quick fix
• WIP
• Various changes
• Minor tweaks

Remember: The commit body can use any style you prefer, but the subject line must use the imperative mood to maintain consistency and clarity.