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Show HN: Commit Comments – build commit messages in code comments

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Re: Show HN: Commit Comments – build commit messages in code comments

#21

Post by Zezima »

jheriko wrote: post #19
davegauer wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It could probably be abused in the way you describe. But I'm not sure it encourages it. I think it's a clever idea and seems like it could be handy even if you do nice, tidy commits.

well, it seems not very useful if you are doing a discrete piece of work because you have one short comment to make, not a list... maybe encourage is the wrong word, but it seems like a useless tool if you are doing things in (what i perceive to be) the right way.

Agreed. My motivation for making this was the complete lack of detail in my peers' commit messages. They had no problem writing a semi-descriptive commit title, but glossed over numerous (yet small) changes entirely.

Ironically, this project I would not use myself! Mostly because I am in the practice of the Git workflow.

My goal was to make something which was easy to use, and gets someone in the habit of thinking about/listing all changes in a commit.

I certainly hope I'm not encouraging the bad behavior I'm trying to prevent!

Re: Show HN: Commit Comments – build commit messages in code comments

#22

Post by jedberg »

tylorr wrote: post #15
jedberg wrote: post #7

Presumably this is so you don't forget about a bunch of small changes when making a large commit. However, for me, right before I do a commit, I always do a diff to make sure what I'm about to commit is what I intended to, which has the nice side effect of seeing all the changes and reminding me for the commit message. Is this not the common way most people commit?

At this stage I also try to split up my changes into multiple commits, avoiding large commits.

I do that as well, but in my branch. When I merge to master I tend to squash into bigger commits so as not to pollute the timeline so much. If someone really needs to see the small commits they can always look at the branch.

Re: Show HN: Commit Comments – build commit messages in code comments

#23

Post by wingerlang »

jedberg wrote: post #7

Presumably this is so you don't forget about a bunch of small changes when making a large commit. However, for me, right before I do a commit, I always do a diff to make sure what I'm about to commit is what I intended to, which has the nice side effect of seeing all the changes and reminding me for the commit message. Is this not the common way most people commit?

I use SourceTree, which has the ability to stage individual lines (I know, git cli can as well). So even if I work on 2-3 things at the same time, it is trivial to select the correct changes for the commit.

Re: Show HN: Commit Comments – build commit messages in code comments

#24

Post by jheriko »

Zezima wrote: post #21
jheriko wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

well, it seems not very useful if you are doing a discrete piece of work because you have one short comment to make, not a list... maybe encourage is the wrong word, but it seems like a useless tool if you are doing things in (what i perceive to be) the right way.

Agreed. My motivation for making this was the complete lack of detail in my peers' commit messages. They had no problem writing a semi-descriptive commit title, but glossed over numerous (yet small) changes entirely. Ironically, this project I would not use myself! Mostly because I am in the practice of the Git workflow. My goal was to make something which was easy to use, and gets someone in the habit of thinking ab…

i think encourage was the wrong word.

i can still see it being useful, like i said. well done for making something and sharing it like this.

Re: Show HN: Commit Comments – build commit messages in code comments

#25

Post by EvanPlaice »

wingerlang wrote: post #23
jedberg wrote: post #7

Presumably this is so you don't forget about a bunch of small changes when making a large commit. However, for me, right before I do a commit, I always do a diff to make sure what I'm about to commit is what I intended to, which has the nice side effect of seeing all the changes and reminding me for the commit message. Is this not the common way most people commit?

I use SourceTree, which has the ability to stage individual lines (I know, git cli can as well). So even if I work on 2-3 things at the same time, it is trivial to select the correct changes for the commit.

I use git cola for the same. It's a really light weight little tool that's surprisingly feature complete.

I usually make a bunch of changes at once. Following a break I review the changes and break them up into logical commits.

I aim do break up changes so that the commit log can be read like a book and. I can guarantee that not a single commit contains hidden surprises or unrelated changes.

I don't know how most devs get by with just the CLI. A lightweight gui makes commits and reviewing the history tree so much easier.

Re: Show HN: Commit Comments – build commit messages in code comments

#26

Post by chelmertz »

jedberg wrote: post #18
sootn wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Checkout the -v option :)

That doesn't seem to do anything for me. What am I looking for?

You want the -v option to git commit, not to git add.

git commit -v displays the patch below the message part you're writing, so that you can review the patch as you write the message.

Re: Show HN: Commit Comments – build commit messages in code comments

#27

Post by dpcx »

saurik wrote: post #20
jedberg wrote: post #7

Presumably this is so you don't forget about a bunch of small changes when making a large commit. However, for me, right before I do a commit, I always do a diff to make sure what I'm about to commit is what I intended to, which has the nice side effect of seeing all the changes and reminding me for the commit message. Is this not the common way most people commit?

I do a -p and work my way through all of the hunks, pulling out a cohesive "story" of multiple separate commits from the work that I did, sometimes editing hunks as I go to "backport" some changes to fit other parts of the story.

-p? Is this on git-commit, or something else?

Re: Show HN: Commit Comments – build commit messages in code comments

#28

Post by jtwb »

dpcx wrote: post #27
saurik wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do a -p and work my way through all of the hunks, pulling out a cohesive "story" of multiple separate commits from the work that I did, sometimes editing hunks as I go to "backport" some changes to fit other parts of the story.

-p? Is this on git-commit, or something else?

git add -p
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