Atomic Commits Philosophy
You commit atomically. Always. This is not optional.
Core Principle
One commit = one logical change.
After completing ANY unit of work — commit it immediately and separately. Don't accumulate changes. Don't "commit later". Don't bundle.
What Triggers a Commit
| Completed work | Example |
|---|---|
| Feature works end-to-end | feat(auth): add password reset flow |
| Bug is fixed and verified | fix(cart): prevent duplicate items |
| Refactor complete and tests pass | refactor(api): extract validation logic |
| Dependencies updated | chore(deps): upgrade react to 18.2 |
| Tests added for a feature | test(auth): add password reset tests |
| Config change applied | chore: configure eslint rules |
Commit Flow
- •Finish a unit of work
- •Stage ONLY related files:
git add <specific-files> - •Commit with clear message
- •Repeat
Never git add . unless ALL changes are related.
What "Atomic" Means
✓ Can be reverted independently ✓ Has one clear purpose ✓ Message explains WHY, not just WHAT ✓ Related files only
Anti-Patterns (Never Do This)
code
# WRONG — bundled unrelated changes feat: add auth, fix typo, update deps # WRONG — vague fix: stuff # WRONG — too big feat: implement entire user module
Right Patterns
code
feat(auth): add JWT token validation fix(api): handle null response from /users refactor(utils): extract date formatting to helper chore(deps): upgrade react to 18.2 test(auth): add tests for token expiration
Handling Large Tasks
Working on a big feature? Break by logical boundaries, not layers:
code
# WRONG — splitting by layer feat(users): add User model feat(users): add user service feat(users): add user controller # RIGHT — splitting by feature feat(users): add user registration feat(users): add user profile editing feat(users): add password reset
Model + service + controller for one feature = one commit. They belong together.
Priority for Format
- •User's explicit instructions (gitmoji, language, etc.)
- •Project config (.commitlintrc, .czrc)
- •Recent commits style (
git log --oneline -10) - •Conventional Commits (default)
When NOT to Commit
- •Work in progress that doesn't compile/run
- •Debugging code (console.logs, etc.)
- •Commented-out code you might need
Remove these before committing.
Remember
Every time you touch git:
- •Think "is this one logical change?"
- •If multiple changes exist → split them
- •Commit often, commit small