Squash/Reorganize Unpushed Commits

Combine multiple small unpushed commits into clean, logical commits. Can create a single commit or multiple well-organized commits.

Workflow

Step 1: Check Repository State

bash

git status
git log --oneline @{u}..HEAD

Ensure working directory is clean. If there are uncommitted changes, ask user to commit or stash first.

Step 2: Analyze Unpushed Commits

Display commits and analyze what they do:

bash

# Show unpushed commits with details
git log @{u}..HEAD --oneline

# Show full commit messages
git log @{u}..HEAD --format="%h %s%n%b%n---"

# Count commits
git rev-list --count @{u}..HEAD

Group commits by logical purpose (e.g., feature additions, bug fixes, refactoring, tests).

Step 3: Ask User for Reorganization Plan

Present the commits and ask how to reorganize:

Option A: Squash all into one commit

•Simplest option
•Good when all commits serve one logical purpose

Option B: Squash into multiple logical commits

•Example: One commit for feature, one for tests, one for docs
•Better for complex changes with distinct aspects

Option C: Interactive rebase

•User wants full control over squashing, reordering, editing

Step 4: Execute Reorganization

For Option A (Single Commit):

bash

COMMIT_COUNT=$(git rev-list --count @{u}..HEAD)
git reset --soft HEAD~$COMMIT_COUNT
git commit -m "type: descriptive message"

For Option B (Multiple Clean Commits):

Use interactive rebase:

bash

git rebase -i @{u}

In the editor:

•Group related commits together
•Mark first commit of each group as pick
•Mark others in group as squash or fixup
•Optionally reword to improve messages

Example:

code

pick abc1234 Add feature X
squash def5678 Fix typo in feature X
squash ghi9012 Add feature X tests
pick jkl3456 Update documentation
squash mno7890 Fix doc formatting

For Option C (Interactive Rebase):

bash

git rebase -i @{u}

Let user handle the interactive rebase directly.

Step 5: Craft Commit Messages

For each new/combined commit:

•Follow project conventions (conventional commits: feat:, fix:, refactor:, etc.)
•Describe the logical change, not implementation details
•Reference related commits if helpful

Step 6: Verify Result

bash

# View new commit history
git log --oneline @{u}..HEAD

# Review each commit
git log @{u}..HEAD --format="%h %s%n%b%n---"

# Check what changed overall
git diff @{u}..HEAD --stat

Ensure:

•All changes are preserved
•Commits are logical and well-described
•History is clean and readable

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Feature + Fixups → Single Feature Commit

code

Before:
- Add feature X
- Fix typo
- Fix bug in feature X
- Add missing test

After:
- feat: add feature X with tests

Pattern 2: Multiple Logical Units

code

Before:
- Add feature X
- Fix typo in X
- Add tests for X
- Update docs
- Fix doc typo

After:
- feat: add feature X
- test: add tests for feature X
- docs: update documentation for feature X

Pattern 3: Keep Some, Squash Others

code

Before:
- refactor: extract helper function
- Add feature X using helper
- Fix feature X bug
- Add feature X tests

After:
- refactor: extract helper function
- feat: add feature X with tests

Arguments

•squash-commits - Interactive reorganization of unpushed commits
•squash-commits all - Squash all unpushed into single commit
•squash-commits <N> - Squash last N commits

Safety & Rollback

Always working with unpushed commits only (safe, no force push needed).

If something goes wrong:

bash

git reflog
git reset --hard HEAD@{1}

Notes

•Default behavior: analyze commits and suggest logical grouping
•Preserve all code changes, only reorganize commits
•Follow project's commit message conventions
•Use conventional commits format when appropriate