Skybase Innovations Commit Protocol

Welcome to Skybase Innovations' official commit protocol. This document outlines the mandatory guidelines for commit messages within our repositories. Adherence to these standards is crucial for maintaining codebase clarity and consistency.

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Commit Message Structure

Each commit message must adhere to the following format:

<Tag> <Component>: <Concise Description>

[Optional] <Detailed Explanation>

Available Tags:

• feat: Introducing a new feature.

  Example: feat(auth): Add two-factor authentication

• fix: Rectifying bugs or issues.

  Example: fix(payment): Fix data race condition in transaction handler

• chore: Maintenance tasks or minor updates that don't affect the code's behavior.

  Example: chore(deps): Update npm dependencies

• refactor: Modifying code structure without changing its external behavior.

  Example: refactor(ui): Optimize user interface layout

• style: Changes that don't affect the meaning of the code (white-space, formatting, etc.).

  Example: style(css): Fix indentation in stylesheet

• docs: Documentation updates.

  Example: docs(README): Update installation instructions

• test: Adding or modifying tests.

  Example: test(auth): Add unit tests for login functionality

• perf: Changes that improve performance.

  Example: perf(api): Improve response time for search queries

• build: Changes that affect the build system or external dependencies.

  Example: build(docker): Update Dockerfile to use Node 16

• ci: Changes related to Continuous Integration configurations and scripts.

  Example: ci(github-actions): Add linting check to CI pipeline

• revert: Reverting a previous commit.

  Example: revert: Revert "feat(auth): Add two-factor authentication"

Component:

This should be a specific element of the codebase such as a module, class, method, or file.

• Example: LoginController, UserModel, database_config.json

Concise Description:

A brief, clear summary of the changes made. It should be direct and to the point.

Extended Description (Optional):

For complex changes, a detailed explanation is encouraged. This should clarify the rationale behind the changes and the approach taken.

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Commit Message Standards:

• Clarity and Precision: Commit messages must clearly and precisely convey the changes made.
• Brevity: Keep the message concise, without sacrificing clarity.
• No Ambiguity: Avoid vague descriptions; be specific about what was changed and why.
• Professional Tone: Maintain a formal and professional tone.

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Good Commit Message Examples:

• feat(analytics): Add user location tracking feature
  • Why Good: Uses feat to indicate a new feature, specifies the component (analytics), and provides a concise description.
• fix(video): Fix memory leak in video streaming functionality
  • Why Good: Uses fix to indicate a bug fix, names the affected component (video), and succinctly describes the issue resolved.
• docs(API): Update API documentation for clarity
  • Why Good: Uses docs for documentation changes, specifies the component (API), and briefly describes what was updated.
• refactor(db): Refactor database connection logic for scalability
  • Why Good: Uses refactor to indicate code restructuring, identifies the component (db), and provides a reason (scalability).
• remove(api): Remove deprecated PaymentValidation API
  • Why Good: Uses remove to indicate deletion, specifies the exact component (PaymentValidation API), and states that it's deprecated.

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Bad Commit Message Examples:

• added new login feature
  • Why Bad: Does not follow the specified format, lacks clarity, and is vague about the feature.
• changes in code
  • Why Bad: No tag or component is mentioned, and the description is too generic.
• fixes
  • Why Bad: Does not describe what was fixed or where, and lacks important details.
• update stuff
  • Why Bad: Though it uses update, the term "stuff" is unprofessional and vague.
• refactor
  • Why Bad: Lacks any description about what was refactored, making it unclear to team members what changes were made.

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Compliance:

Failure to adhere to these guidelines will result in code review rejection and a requirement to revise the commit message. Consistent non-compliance will be addressed through further disciplinary measures.