Every time we use git commit to submit code, we write a brief description to tell Git what changes were made in this commit—that’s the commit message. If this description is messy (e.g., “fixed a bug” or “fix it”), over time or as the codebase grows, it becomes like a maze without clues, making it hard to figure out the purpose and content of each change. Therefore, standardizing commit messages is crucial, and it brings several benefits. Let’s explore them from three simple perspectives.

Benefit 1: Version History is Clear, Making “Looking Back” Easy¶

Imagine your project has hundreds of commits, each with vague messages like “modified” or “something wrong here”. If you later want to know, “How exactly was the login page bug fixed last week?” or “Who wrote the logic for the payment feature?”, you’d have to check each commit’s details one by one, which is extremely inefficient.

However, with a standardized commit message, such as fix: Fix password error prompt during user login, you can immediately understand from the version history that this commit fixed a login-related bug, and even quickly pinpoint the specific scenario. It’s like writing a diary entry: “Today fixed the login bug” is clearer than “Today fixed a bug”—the latter would make you forget details later, while the former helps you recall quickly.

Benefit 2: Smoother Team Collaboration with Accurate Information Transfer¶

In team projects, multiple people might be modifying code simultaneously. If everyone writes commit messages in inconsistent styles (e.g., “added a button”, “UI adjustment”, “moved the login button”), it becomes hard to figure out who developed a feature or why a change was made.

Standardized commit messages unify information formats. For example, using the format Type: Description (common types include feat for new features, fix for fixes, docs for documentation), everyone can follow this structure. For instance, feat: Implement form validation for the user registration page allows team members to immediately understand the core content and purpose of the commit during code reviews or troubleshooting, reducing communication overhead. It’s like using a unified agenda in meetings—information is transmitted more efficiently.

Benefit 3: Automatic Changelog Generation for Easier Releases¶

Many projects require generating change logs (Changelogs) (e.g., telling users “What’s new in this update” during releases). Without standardized commit messages, tools (like automation tools) struggle to parse which changes are new features, bug fixes, or optimizations.

However, standardized commit messages are machine-readable. Tools can automatically categorize and count commits based on keywords like feat (new features), fix (bug fixes), or refactor (refactoring), generating clear version update logs. This eliminates the need to manually compile changes during releases, saving time and reducing errors. For example, the tool standard-version can automatically generate CHANGELOG.md from well-formatted commit messages, directly telling users, “This release adds Feature X and fixes Issue Y.”

Conclusion¶

While standardizing commit messages requires a bit of effort to form a habit (e.g., thinking about changes before committing and using a consistent format), in the long run, it clarifies version history, improves team efficiency, and simplifies releases. From today onward, try using the format Type: Brief Description for your commit messages (e.g., feat: Add shopping cart functionality). Let it become your project’s “navigation light”!