git commit

Description:
Save staged changes to the repository history with a descriptive message. Creates a new commit (snapshot) in the Git timeline.

Syntax:

bash

git commit -m "message"
git commit -am "message"
git commit --amend

Examples:

bash

# Commit with a message
git commit -m "Add user authentication feature"

# Stage all tracked files and commit in one step
git commit -am "Fix navigation bug"

# Amend the last commit (change message or add files)
git commit --amend -m "Updated commit message"

# Commit with a detailed message using editor
git commit

Detailed Explanation:

Permanent snapshot: Creates an immutable record of your changes in the repository history
Requires staging: Only files in the staging area (via git add) are included
Author information: Records your name, email, and timestamp automatically
Unique hash: Each commit gets a unique SHA-1 hash for identification

Common Errors:

nothing to commit, working tree clean → Solution: No staged changes; use git add first
Aborting commit due to empty commit message → Solution: Provide a message with -m or don't exit editor without saving
Please tell me who you are → Solution: Configure git config user.name and git config user.email

Pro Tips:

Write clear, imperative commit messages: "Add feature" not "Added feature" or "Adding feature"
Use git commit --amend to fix the last commit (don't do this after pushing)
For detailed messages, skip -m and use your default editor for multi-line messages
Commit early, commit often – small, focused commits are better than large ones
Follow the format: Type: Short description (e.g., "Fix: resolve login timeout issue")

Related Commands:

git add – Stage files before committing
git status – Check what will be committed
git log – View commit history
git push – Upload commits to remote

git commit ​

git commit