Git Commit Message Skill
Generate conventional, informative commit messages for Java projects.
When to Use
- After making code changes
- User says "commit this" / "commit changes" / "create commit"
- Before creating PRs
Format Standard
Use Conventional Commits format:
<type>(<scope>): <subject> <body> <footer>
Types (Java context)
- feat: New feature (new API, new functionality)
- fix: Bug fix
- refactor: Code refactoring (no functional change)
- test: Add/update tests
- docs: Documentation only
- perf: Performance improvement
- build: Maven/Gradle changes
- chore: Maintenance (dependency updates, etc)
Scope Examples (Java specific)
- Module name:
core,api,plugin-loader - Component:
PluginManager,ExtensionFactory - Area:
lifecycle,dependencies,security
Subject Rules
- Imperative mood: "Add support" not "Added support"
- No period at end
- Max 50 chars
- Lowercase after type
Body (optional but recommended)
- Explain WHAT and WHY, not HOW
- Wrap at 72 chars
- Reference issues: "Fixes #123" / "Relates to #456"
Examples
Simple fix
fix(plugin-loader): prevent NPE when plugin directory is missing Check for null before accessing plugin directory to avoid NullPointerException during initialization. Fixes #234
Feature with breaking change
feat(api): add support for plugin dependencies versioning BREAKING CHANGE: PluginDescriptor now requires semantic versioning format (x.y.z) instead of free-form version strings. Closes #567
Refactoring
refactor(core): extract plugin validation logic Move validation logic from PluginManager to separate PluginValidator class for better testability and separation of concerns.
Test addition
test(plugin-loader): add integration tests for plugin loading Add comprehensive integration tests covering: - Loading from directory - Loading from JAR - Error handling for invalid plugins
Build/dependency update
build(deps): upgrade Spring Boot to 3.2.1 Update Spring Boot from 3.1.0 to 3.2.1 for security patches and performance improvements.
Workflow
- Analyze changes using
git diff --staged - Identify scope from modified files
- Determine type based on change nature
- Generate message following format
- Execute commit:
git commit -m "message"
Token Optimization
- Read staged changes ONCE:
git diff --staged --stat+ targeted file diffs - Don't read entire files unless necessary
- Use concise body - aim for 2-3 lines max
- Batch multiple small changes into logical commits
Anti-patterns
❌ Avoid:
- "fix stuff" / "update code" / "changes"
- "WIP" commits (unless explicitly requested)
- Mixing unrelated changes (use separate commits)
- Over-detailed technical implementation in message
✅ Good commits:
- Single logical change
- Clear, searchable subject
- References issues when applicable
- Explains business value
Integration with GitHub
After commit, suggest next steps:
- "Push changes?"
- "Create PR for issue #X?"
- "Continue with next task?"
Common Patterns for Java Projects
Adding new functionality
feat(extension): add support for prioritized extensions Allow extensions to specify priority order for execution. Extensions with higher priority run first. Closes #123
Fixing bugs
fix(classloader): resolve resource lookup in nested JARs ClassLoader.getResource() was failing for resources in JARs loaded from plugin JARs (nested JARs). Fixed by implementing proper resource resolution chain. Fixes #456
Dependency updates
build(deps): bump slf4j from 1.7.30 to 2.0.9 Updates SLF4J to latest stable version. No API changes required as we use only stable APIs.
Documentation improvements
docs(readme): add plugin development quickstart guide Add step-by-step guide for creating first plugin: - Project setup - Implementing Plugin interface - Building and testing
Performance optimizations
perf(plugin-loader): cache plugin descriptors Cache parsed plugin descriptors to avoid repeated I/O and parsing. Reduces plugin loading time by ~40%. Related to #789
Multi-file Changes
When changes span multiple components:
refactor(core): reorganize plugin lifecycle management - Extract lifecycle state machine to separate class - Move validation logic to validators package - Update tests to reflect new structure This refactoring improves testability and separation of concerns without changing external APIs. Related to #111, #222
Breaking Changes
Always use BREAKING CHANGE footer:
feat(api)!: replace Plugin.start() with Plugin.initialize() BREAKING CHANGE: The Plugin.start() method has been renamed to Plugin.initialize() for better semantic clarity. All plugin implementations must update their code. Migration guide: Replace @Override start() with @Override initialize() in all Plugin implementations. Closes #999
Quick Reference Card
| Change Type | Type | Example Scope |
|---|---|---|
| New feature | feat | api, core, loader |
| Bug fix | fix | plugin-loader, lifecycle |
| Refactoring | refactor | core, utils |
| Tests | test | integration, unit |
| Docs | docs | readme, javadoc |
| Build | build | maven, deps |
| Performance | perf | classloader, cache |
| Maintenance | chore | ci, tooling |
