Skip to content

ADR-007: Using Conventional Commits

Status: Accepted Date: 2026-04-05

Context

The project uses automated semantic versioning (see ADR-008), which requires a machine-parseable commit message format. Additionally, a consistent commit style improves the readability of git log and auto-generated changelogs. The Conventional Commits specification is the industry-standard format supported by python-semantic-release.

Decision

All commits must follow the Conventional Commits specification: <type>[optional scope]: <description>. Accepted types and their version bump effects are documented in Contributing.

Consequences

  • Positive: Enables fully automated versioning and changelog generation (ADR-008).
  • Positive: Commit history is self-documenting; the type prefix makes the nature of each change immediately clear.
  • Negative: Adds a formatting discipline requirement; contributors must learn the convention.
  • Negative: No automated enforcement (no commit-msg hook) is currently configured; compliance relies on author discipline and PR review.