Conventional Commits

Structured commit message format for version control that provides clear, readable project history.

Overview

The Conventional Commits specification provides:

• Automated changelog generation - Tools can parse commits to generate CHANGELOG.md
• Semantic versioning - Commit types map to version bumps (feat → minor, breaking → major)
• Clear project history - Standardized format makes git log readable
• Automated releases - CI/CD can trigger releases based on commit types

Quick Reference

Type	Use For	Version Bump
feat	New feature	MINOR
fix	Bug fix	PATCH
docs	Documentation only	PATCH
style	Formatting, no logic change	PATCH
refactor	Code restructuring, no behavior change	PATCH
perf	Performance improvement	PATCH
test	Adding or updating tests	PATCH
build	Build system or dependencies	PATCH
ci	CI/CD configuration	PATCH
chore	Maintenance, no user-facing change	PATCH
revert	Revert a previous commit	PATCH

Format

<type>[optional scope]: <description>

[optional body]

[optional footer(s)]

Rules:

• Type is required
• Scope is optional - use parenthesized section affected: (api), auth), parser)
• Description is required
• Keep description concise, imperative mood, lowercase, no trailing period
• Body and footer are optional
• Separate subject from body with blank line
• Wrap body at 72 characters

Examples

feat: add user authentication

Implement JWT-based authentication with login/logout endpoints.
Includes password hashing and session management.

Closes: #123

fix(api): handle null response from server

Previous implementation crashed when server returned null.
Now returns empty result set.

Assisted-by: GLM 4.6 via Claude Code

feat(storage)!: change bucket listing API

BREAKING CHANGE: bucket list now returns async iterator
instead of array. Update all callers to use for-await.

refactor(core): simplify error handling

Consolidate duplicate error handlers into single utility.
No behavior changes - internal cleanup only.

revert: feat(auth): add OAuth support

This reverts commit 8b5a1c2. OAuth provider changed
their API and we need to redesign integration.

Breaking Changes

Indicate breaking changes in two ways:

Option 1: Add ! after type/scope

feat(api)!: remove deprecated endpoint

Option 2: Add BREAKING CHANGE: footer

feat(api): remove deprecated endpoint

BREAKING CHANGE: endpoint no longer exists. Use newEndpoint instead.

AI Attribution

AI agents must disclose their assistance in the commit footer:

Assisted-by: [Model Name] via [Tool Name]

Examples:

• Assisted-by: GLM 4.6 via Claude Code
• Assisted-by: Claude Opus 4.5 via claude.ai

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Why Wrong	Correct
Added login feature	Past tense, capitalized	feat: add login feature
fix bug.	Trailing period	fix: resolve login error
update	Missing type	chore: update dependencies
feature:add-auth	Missing space after colon	feat: add authentication
FEAT: big change	Uppercase type	feat: add authentication
Multi-line description no blank line	No separation	Add blank line after subject

Body Guidelines

• What: Motivation for the change (vs. code comments describe HOW)
• Contrast: Explain the WHY and WHAT, not code details
• Wrap at 72 characters for readability in git log

feat(summarization): add support for nested bullet points

Previous implementation only flattened all content. Now preserves
hierarchy by respecting indentation levels. Users can now create
structured summaries with parent-child relationships.

Closes: #456

Footer Guidelines

Use footers for:

• Breaking changes: BREAKING CHANGE: detailed explanation
• Issue references: Closes: #123, Fixes: #456, Refs: #789
• AI attribution: Assisted-by: Model via Tool

Multiple footers separated by blank lines:

feat: add batch upload

Implements multipart upload for large files.

BREAKING CHANGE: upload() signature changed - now requires options object
Closes: #123
Assisted-by: GLM 4.6 via Claude Code

Git Commit Flags

Required flag: Always use --signoff when committing:

git commit --signoff -m "feat: add user authentication"

The --signoff flag adds a Signed-off-by trailer to the commit message, indicating the committer has certified the commit follows developer certificate of origin (DCO).

Testing Your Commit

Before committing, verify:

1. [ ] Type is from allowed list
2. [ ] Description is imperative mood (add, fix, update)
3. [ ] Description is lowercase
4. [ ] No trailing period on description
5. [ ] Breaking changes marked with ! or footer
6. [ ] AI attribution included (if applicable)
7. [ ] Body explains WHY not HOW
8. [ ] Using --signoff flag