# Writing good commit messages 🎉

**Let's start with what is a commit in git?**

> Commit in git is used to save a snapshot of all the changes made in the working repository.

A ```
commit
``` message typically contains
- Subject line
- Body (opt)
- Footer (opt)


## *Now, how to write a good subject line?*

The subject line is a 1 line description of the entire change you made. This should not cross 50 chars.

To incorporate this, subject lines are defined in this syntax

```
<type>(optional scope): <description>
```

Let's break these 3 👇

### *Type:*

Type basically defines what type of change are you making.

These are a few ```
types
``` defined :
- feat
- fix
- build
- docs
- refactor
- test
- chore

Type is very important in every commit, it helps the other person know the kind of change made to the codebase.

Defining each type:
- feat: change related to a new feature
- fix: change which fixes a piece of code
- build: change related to build configs
- docs: change reflecting documentation
- refactor: refactoring code
- test: everything related to test
- chore: code maintenance changes

<br>

### *Optional Scope in the Subject line*

This scope provides context & should be the name of the core component changed, not necessarily the file name.

For example, If you write a new REST API, then the scope will be REST API and not the name of the file where you wrote the API.

<br>

### *Description in Subject line*

The description is the most important part of a commit message.

- Give a small & apt description of the change
- Use present tense to describe the change.
- Don't capitalize the 1st letter & don't end with a dot.

<br>

## Body of a commit message (Optional)

This is an optional field, you can choose to add this if the change needs more explanation.

To add a body you need to add a blank line after the Subject line and then start to write the body.

This is usually used to inform a breaking change.


<br>

## Footer of a commit message (Optional)

Footer is also an optional field, which is usually used to add the JIRA ticket ids or Github Issue references.


<br>


### *Clubbing everything you just learned*

Examples :

```
feat(cart): add a checkout button
```

**OR**


```
fix(order): color change in the payment button
```

👆 The above is a git commit message with only the subject line


With body & footer👇

```
feat(cart): add a checkout button

Added checkout button, which will now redirect to the payments page with all the relevant data

Issue #315
```

That’s it, folks.


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Cover Image Credits: [cbea](https://cbea.ms/git-commit/)