git commit command

Record changes to the repository by saving staged content as a new commit.

Overview

The git commit command captures a snapshot of the project's currently staged changes. Committed snapshots are "safe" versions of a project that Git will never change unless explicitly asked to do so. Before running git commit, you need to use git add to stage the changes you want to include in the commit.

Options

-m, --message=<msg>

Use the given message as the commit message instead of launching an editor.

$ git commit -m "Add new feature"
[main 5d6e7f8] Add new feature
 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

-a, --all

Automatically stage all modified and deleted files before committing (does not include untracked files).

$ git commit -a -m "Update existing files"
[main 1a2b3c4] Update existing files
 2 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

--amend

Replace the tip of the current branch by creating a new commit, using the same log message as the previous commit.

$ git commit --amend -m "Fix previous commit message"
[main 7f8e9d6] Fix previous commit message
 Date: Mon May 5 10:30:45 2025 -0700
 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

-v, --verbose

Show diff of changes to be committed in the commit message editor.

$ git commit -v
# Opens editor with diff included in the commit template

--no-verify

Bypass the pre-commit and commit-msg hooks.

$ git commit --no-verify -m "Emergency fix"
[main 3e4f5d6] Emergency fix
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)

Usage Examples

Creating a standard commit

$ git add file1.txt file2.txt
$ git commit -m "Add new files and update documentation"
[main 1a2b3c4] Add new files and update documentation
 2 files changed, 25 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 file1.txt
 create mode 100644 file2.txt

Amending the previous commit with new changes

$ git add forgotten_file.txt
$ git commit --amend
[main 1a2b3c4] Add new files and update documentation
 3 files changed, 30 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 file1.txt
 create mode 100644 file2.txt
 create mode 100644 forgotten_file.txt

Creating an empty commit

$ git commit --allow-empty -m "Trigger CI build"
[main 9d8c7b6] Trigger CI build

Tips:

Write Meaningful Commit Messages

Good commit messages should explain why a change was made, not just what was changed. Use the present tense ("Add feature" not "Added feature") and keep the first line under 50 characters, followed by a blank line and more detailed explanation if needed.

Use Atomic Commits

Make each commit a logical unit of work that focuses on a single change. This makes it easier to understand, review, and potentially revert changes later.

Verify What You're Committing

Before committing, use git status to verify what files are staged and git diff --staged to review the exact changes that will be committed.

Sign Your Commits

For security-sensitive projects, consider using git commit -S to cryptographically sign your commits, verifying that you are the author.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How do I undo my last commit?

A. Use git reset HEAD~1 to undo the commit but keep the changes staged, or git reset --hard HEAD~1 to discard the changes completely.

Q2. How can I change my commit message after pushing?

A. Use git commit --amend to change the message, then git push --force to update the remote (use with caution on shared branches).

Q3. What's the difference between git commit and git commit -a?

A. git commit only commits changes that have been staged with git add, while git commit -a automatically stages and commits all modified and deleted tracked files.

Q4. Can I commit only part of a file's changes?

A. Yes, use git add -p to interactively select which changes to stage before committing.

References

https://git-scm.com/docs/git-commit

Revisions