Agent Skills: Commit Message Guidelines

Use when creating git commits. Defines conventional commit format and message structure guidelines.

UncategorizedID: craigtkhill/stdd-agents/write-commit-message

Install this agent skill to your local

pnpm dlx add-skill https://github.com/craigtkhill/stdd-agents/tree/HEAD/skills/write-commit-message

Skill Files

Browse the full folder contents for write-commit-message.

Download Skill

Loading file tree…

skills/write-commit-message/SKILL.md

Skill Metadata

Name
write-commit-message
Description
Use when creating git commits. Defines conventional commit format and message structure guidelines.

Commit Message Guidelines

Guidelines for writing clear, consistent git commit messages.

Conventional Commits Format

Use the conventional commits style:

<type>[optional scope]: <description>

CRITICAL: Single-line only. Never add a body or footer. The code and spec speak for themselves.

Commit Types

  • feat: New feature
  • fix: Bug fix
  • test: Adding or updating tests
  • docs: Documentation changes
  • refactor: Code refactoring (no functional changes)
  • style: Code style changes (formatting, whitespace)
  • chore: Maintenance tasks, dependencies
  • perf: Performance improvements
  • ci: CI/CD configuration changes
  • build: Build system changes

Scope (Optional)

Add scope in parentheses to provide additional context:

Breaking Changes

Indicate breaking changes with ! after type/scope:

Description Guidelines

  • Use imperative mood ("add feature" not "added feature")
  • Start with lowercase
  • No period at the end
  • Keep under 72 characters
  • Be specific and descriptive

No Body, No Footer

Never add a commit body or footer. Every commit must be a single line only.

Do NOT include AI attribution, co-authored-by lines, or any other footers.

Before Committing

CRITICAL — all of the following MUST be true before committing:

  1. All tests pass (GREEN)
  2. Pre-commit hooks pass — run prek run --all-files and fix every issue
  3. Check for remote updates: git fetch
  4. Review your changes: git status and git diff
  5. Stage relevant files: git add <files>
  6. Write clear commit message

NEVER commit with failing testsNEVER commit without running pre-commit hooksNEVER commit half-finished work

When to Commit

Commit once per completed requirement in the STDD cycle:

spec written → tests RED → tests GREEN → hooks pass → COMMIT
  • One commit per requirement (or tightly related group of requirements)
  • Each commit must represent a complete, working state
  • Do not batch multiple requirements into one commit

Integration with STDD Workflow

When following the spec-test-driven development workflow:

  1. Pick a requirement from spec.yaml
  2. Write test → see RED
  3. Implement → see GREEN
  4. Run ALL tests → all pass
  5. Run prek run --all-files → all hooks pass
  6. Commit with a single-line conventional commit message
  7. Repeat for next requirement