Re: How to make devs write better commit messages

On 12/06/2011 11:55 PM, Joseph Huttner wrote:

So I know that there is a somewhat standard format of commit messages
in Git, which Linus outlines here:

https://github.com/torvalds/subsurface/blob/master/README#L164

Trouble is, when most people go to commit, the file that the editor
opens has no reminder of how to write a proper commit message.  Often
I find myself having to go back through the commit log, or consulting
the above link.

I propose two things:

1.  An optional flag in the Git config that, if set, shows the format
of a typical commit message in your commit message template.

2.  The ability to modify this commit message template.  Many teams
use automated tools to read commit messages and then do automated
tasks based on that data, like comment an RT ticket.  Thus, developers
need to be reminded of these team-specific settings as well.

What are your thoughts?

If it's no social issue but just due to lack of a reminder you
could provide a template for commit.template. Either way: you
still would have to force people to set it.?