WordPress Core Commit Message Format

This skill documents the official formatting guidelines for WordPress core commit messages.

Message Structure

Component: Brief summary.

Longer description with more details, such as a `new_hook` being introduced with the context of a `$post` and a `$screen`.

More paragraphs can be added as needed.

Developed in {GitHub PR URL}.

Follow-up to [12345], [67890].

Props person, another.
Fixes #12345. See #67890.

Brief Summary (First Line)

• •Must be one line, no line breaks
• •Aim for ~50 characters, max 70
• •Prefix with component/focus of the change (from Trac ticket component, unless it's "General")
• •The list of valid components is at the end of this document
• •Use imperative mood: "Add feature" not "Adds feature" or "Added feature"
• •Must end with a period

Description

• •Keep brief - only include essential details
• •Separated from summary by a blank line
• •Describe the what and why (the diff shows how)
• •The description is an overview - present relevant information but avoid excessive detail
• •Informed by both the PR and the Trac ticket
• •Can be multiple paragraphs separated by blank lines, but prefer fewer
• •Do NOT manually wrap lines
• •Code/hooks in backticks: function_name(), hook_name
• •Each sentence should begin with capital letter and end with period

Developed In Line

• •Add Developed in {PR URL}. at the end of the description
• •Must end with a period
• •Must be preceded by a blank line
• •Comes BEFORE Follow-up to line (if present)
• •Must be followed by a blank line

Follow-up To Line (Optional)

• •Add Follow-up to [12345], [67890]. if this change relates to previous changesets
• •Format changeset numbers as [123] (square brackets)
• •Comes AFTER Developed in line
• •Must be preceded by a blank line
• •Must be followed by a blank line before Props

Props Line

• •Give props to all contributors: patches, code suggestions, design, testing, reporting
• •Format: Props username1, username2.
• •No @ before usernames
• •No colon after "Props"
• •Separate usernames with comma + space
• •Must end with a period
• •Use WordPress.org usernames (check Trac for correct usernames)

Ticket References

• •On their own line below Props
• •Fixes #12345. - closes the ticket
• •See #12345. - references without closing
• •Multiple tickets: Fixes #123, #456. See #789.

Valid Components

The following components are the only valid component WordPress core commit messages (from Trac).

• •Administration
• •AI
• •Bootstrap/Load
• •Build/Test Tools
• •Bundled Theme
• •Cache API
• •Comments
• •Cron API
• •Customize
• •Database
• •Date/Time
• •Editor
• •Export
• •External Libraries
• •Feeds
• •Filesystem API
• •Formatting
• •General
• •Help/About
• •HTML API
• •HTTP API
• •I18N
• •Import
• •Interactivity API
• •Mail
• •Media
• •Networks and Sites
• •Options, Meta APIs
• •Permalinks
• •Plugins
• •Posts, Post Types
• •Privacy
• •Query
• •REST API
• •Script Loader
• •Security
• •Site Health
• •Sitemaps
• •Taxonomy
• •Themes
• •Toolbar
• •Upgrade/Install
• •Users
• •XML-RPC

Note: "General" is listed for reference but should not be used as a prefix (see below).

Things to Avoid

• •Don't use props anywhere except the Props line
• •Don't use hashtag + numbers except for Trac ticket references
• •Don't manually wrap description lines
• •Don't include time estimates or scheduling language
• •Don't use the component prefix if the Trac component is "General"