Draft a Commit

Create save messages that are inviting, focused, considerate, supportive, and influential.

Think of this like leaving a note for your future self or teammates explaining what you changed and why.

How to Create a Good Message

1. Look at what changed

   • Which files did you update?
   • What exactly is different?
   • Check how others have written their messages recently

2. Understand the impact

   • What problem does this solve?
   • Who benefits from this change?
   • What's now possible that wasn't before?

3. Write the message

   • Start with a clear one-line summary (under 50 characters)
   • Add details that explain what and why
   • Use the tone guidelines below

Message Structure

Summary Line (required)

• Keep it short and clear (under 50 characters)
• Start with an action word like "Add", "Fix", "Update", "Remove"
• Capitalize the first word
• No period at the end
• Be specific about what you did

Examples:

• "Add search box to homepage"
• "Fix broken contact form link"
• "Update store hours on about page"

Detailed Explanation (recommended)

A brief paragraph explaining WHAT you changed and WHY it matters.

- Key improvement or benefit
- How this helps people using the site
- Any important context about your decision

This change makes it easier for [who] to [do what] and helps [benefit].

Tone Guidelines

Inviting

• Use inclusive language: "This lets us...", "Now we can...", "This opens up..."
• Make others feel included in the progress
• Example: "This change makes it easier for visitors to find what they're looking for"

Focused

• Be specific about what changed
• Avoid vague terms like "fix stuff" or "update things"
• Example: "Reorganize product images into category folders"

Considerate

• Think about who this affects
• Acknowledge the impact on people using the site
• Example: "This makes the site easier to navigate for people using screen readers"

Supportive

• Explain your reasoning
• Help others understand the value
• Example: "By showing prices clearly upfront, visitors can make decisions faster"

Influential

• Convey why this matters
• Connect to bigger picture goals
• Example: "This sets us up for adding the shopping cart feature next month"

Examples

Example 1: Adding Something New

Add search box to find books faster

This adds a search feature at the top of every page so visitors can
quickly find books by title, author, or topic without scrolling through
all the categories.

- Search box appears on every page for easy access
- Results appear instantly as you type
- Shows book covers and prices in search results

This makes it easier for customers to find exactly what they want and
helps them discover books they might have missed while browsing.

Example 2: Reorganizing

Reorganize book images by genre

The book cover images were all mixed together in one folder, making it
hard to find specific covers when updating the site.

- Creates separate folders for Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Children's books
- Renames files with consistent naming (genre-title-author.jpg)
- Updates image links throughout the site

This makes it easier to manage the image library and helps us add new
books faster without hunting for files.

Example 3: Fixing a Problem

Fix checkout button not working on mobile phones

Customers using phones couldn't complete purchases because the checkout
button wasn't responding to taps.

- Adjusts button size to meet mobile touch standards
- Fixes spacing so buttons don't overlap on small screens
- Tests on iPhone and Android devices

This ensures all customers can complete their purchases regardless of
what device they're using, preventing lost sales.

Example 4: Adding Information

Add step-by-step guide for placing orders

First-time customers were confused about how to complete an order and
were reaching out with questions about the process.

- Creates simple guide with screenshots
- Explains each step from browsing to confirmation
- Includes answers to common questions

This helps customers feel confident placing their first order and reduces
the number of support questions we receive each week.

Best Practices

1. Start with the impact: Think about who benefits and how
2. Be honest and clear: Don't exaggerate, but do explain the value
3. Use present tense: "This adds..." rather than "I added..."
4. Connect to real benefits: Link changes to how they help people
5. Keep it human: Write like you're explaining to a friend

Simple Templates

When Adding Something

"This [what you added] helps [who] do [what] more easily"

When Fixing Something

"This fixes [problem] by [how you fixed it], so [who] can [benefit]"

When Reorganizing

"This improves [what] by [change], making it easier to [future benefit]"

When Adding Information

"This explains [topic] for [audience], so they can [action]"

Remember

Every save message tells a story about your work. Make yours inviting, focused, considerate, supportive, and influential. Help others understand not just what changed, but why it matters and how it makes things better.