Best Practices2026-02-121 min readShipLog Team
Git Commit Message Best Practices for AI-Powered Changelogs
Commit patterns that make AI changelog generation cleaner and more accurate.
gitcommitsai
Use intent-first prefixes
Start commits with clear intent markers: `feat`, `fix`, `perf`, `docs`, `refactor`, `security`.
Include scope when possible
`fix(auth): handle callback state mismatch` is better than `fix login issue`.
Make each commit atomic
One commit should represent one meaningful change. Mixed commits reduce categorization quality.
Add context for breaking changes
Use explicit words like `breaking`, `migration`, or `deprecate` in commit body.
Recommended format
- First line: short action summary
- Optional body: why the change was needed
- Footer: migration steps, if required