Type: What kind of change (see below).
Scope (optional): What’s affected (e.g., auth, ui, docs).
Description: Short, present-tense summary (50-72 chars).
Body (optional): More details, why it’s done.
Footer (optional): Metadata like "Fixes #123" or "BREAKING CHANGE"
Common Types of Commit Messages
Here’s a quick reference table for the most frequently used commit types in Conventional Commits:
| Type | Use Case | Example |
|---|---|---|
feat |
New feature | feat(ui): add dark mode toggle |
fix |
Bug fix | fix(auth): resolve token expiry |
docs |
Documentation updates | docs(readme): update install steps |
style |
Formatting, no logic change | style(css): adjust padding |
refactor |
Code cleanup, no behavior change | refactor(api): simplify fetch |
test |
Add or update tests | test(unit): cover login edge cases |
chore |
Maintenance (deps, tools) | chore(deps): update lodash |
perf |
Performance improvement | perf(db): optimize query |
ci |
CI/CD changes | ci(pipeline): add lint step |
build |
Build system changes | build(webpack): minify output |
revert |
Revert a previous commit | revert: undo feat(ui) |
How to Use This Table
- Type: Start your commit with one of these keywords.
-
Scope (optional): Add in parentheses (e.g.,
ui,auth) to specify the area of change. - Description: Keep it short, present tense, and descriptive.
Cheat Sheet Examples
Simple Feature
feat(api): add user profile endpoint
Fix with Details
fix(cart): prevent duplicate items
- Added check for existing item ID
- Fixes #45
Breaking Change
feat(auth): switch to JWT tokens
- Replaced session cookies with JWT
BREAKING CHANGE: Old tokens invalid
Chore
chore(deps): bump react to 18.3.0
Refactor
refactor(utils): extract logger to module
- Improves reusability across files
Tips
- Scope: Keep it lowercase, short (e.g., ui, server).
- Breaking Changes: Flag with ! after type (e.g.,
feat(ui)!: redo layout) or note in footer. - Tools: Use with semantic versioning or changelog generators (e.g., standard-version).
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