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Intentional Commits

A simple set of version control principles and habits. Supporting continuous integration/trunk-based development.

At minimum, Intentional Commits implies these habits/practices:

  • having a goal for the next commit
  • scope discipline
  • self-review

An intentional commit is a (Git) commit that we created exactly the way we intended to. Being intentional here does not mean to just "try hard enough"; rather it implies having an intention in the first place, ahead of time for the next commit, which may be the hardest part. Depending on a developer's skill, habits, and scope of influence, the goals may reach from simply cleaner history and fewer version control mistakes to more tactical and strategic goals, like making the smallest change that is valuable, is integrable into the mainline, and/or provides user feedback.

Intentional Commits can act as a guideline for continuous improvement and commitment to the craft for individuals or teams.