cstm_cmt_msg_rules.md

Custom Commit Message Rules

Format

• Subject line: imperative verb + what changed (50 chars max)
• Body: explain WHY, not what (the diff shows what)
• Use present tense: "Add feature" not "Added feature"

Structure

First line: :

Body (if needed):

• Context: Why was this change necessary?
• Impact: What does this enable or fix?
• Notes: Any caveats, side effects, or follow-up needed

Type Prefixes

Use one of these tags:

• feat: New feature or capability
• fix: Bug fix or correction
• refactor: Code restructuring without behavior change
• perf: Performance improvement
• docs: Documentation only
• test: Test additions or updates
• chore: Build, tooling, dependencies
• style: Formatting, whitespace, naming

Content Guidelines

• Be specific: "Fix null pointer in user login" not "Fix bug"
• Mention affected area: "auth:", "ui:", "api:", etc. when relevant
• Avoid obvious statements: don't say "update file X" if that's clear from diff
• Include ticket/issue reference if applicable: "Fixes #123"

Examples

Good:

• feat(auth): Add OAuth2 token refresh logic
• fix(api): Prevent race condition in cache writes
• refactor(db): Extract query builder to separate module

Bad:

• Updated files
• Changes
• Fixed stuff
• WIP

Output Format

Plain text only. No markdown formatting (bold, code, etc.)