How to use the command `core-validate-commit` (with examples)

core-validate-commit is a command-line tool used to validate commit messages for Node.js core. It helps ensure that commit messages in the Node.js core repository follow the correct formatting and conventions. This article will explain various use cases of the core-validate-commit command and provide examples for each use case.

Use case 1: Validate the current commit

Code:

core-validate-commit

Motivation: When working on a Node.js core repository and making a commit, it is essential to validate the commit message before pushing the changes. By running core-validate-commit without any arguments, it will validate the commit message of the latest commit.

Explanation: Running core-validate-commit without any arguments validates the commit message of the current commit by analyzing its content according to the commit message format and conventions defined for Node.js core.

Example output:

Valid commit message

Use case 2: Validate a specific commit

Code:

core-validate-commit commit_hash

Motivation: In some situations, the need arises to validate a specific commit message rather than the latest commit. This use case allows you to specify the commit hash of the commit to be validated.

Explanation: By passing a specific commit hash as an argument, core-validate-commit will validate the commit message for that particular commit. This can be useful when reviewing historical commits or when troubleshooting issues related to specific commits.

Example output:

Valid commit message

Use case 3: Validate a range of commits

Code:

git rev-list commit_hash..HEAD | xargs core-validate-commit

Motivation: Validating a range of commits is useful when reviewing a series of commits or when performing a bulk validation of multiple commits.

Explanation: The command git rev-list commit_hash..HEAD lists all the commit hashes within the specified commit range. By piping this list of commits to xargs core-validate-commit, each commit message in the range will be validated individually.

Example output:

Valid commit message
Valid commit message
Invalid commit message: Missing required Jira reference
Valid commit message

Use case 4: List all validation rules

Code:

core-validate-commit --list

Motivation: It is helpful to have a list of all the validation rules applied by the core-validate-commit tool. This use case allows you to see all the available rules.

Explanation: By using the --list option with core-validate-commit, it will display a list of all the validation rules defined for commit messages in the Node.js core repository. This is useful for understanding the requirements and constraints for a valid commit message.

Example output:

1. First line starts with a capital letter
2. First line must not exceed 50 characters
3. Second line must be blank
4. Second line must be a valid subsystem
...

Use case 5: List all valid Node.js subsystems

Code:

core-validate-commit --list-subsystem

Motivation: To ensure the commit messages include a valid subsystem as the second line, it is important to have an overview of all the valid Node.js subsystems.

Explanation: This command allows you to generate a list of all the valid Node.js subsystems that can be used in the second line of a commit message. This can help developers verify that they are providing the correct subsystem information in their commits.

Example output:

1. API
2. Build System
3. Cluster
4. Debugger
...

Use case 6: Validate the current commit formatting the output in TAP format

Code:

core-validate-commit --tap

Motivation: The Test Anything Protocol (TAP) is a popular text-based protocol for defining test standards. By formatting the output of core-validate-commit in TAP format, it becomes easier to integrate the validation process into automated testing pipelines or tools that understand TAP.

Explanation: By using the --tap option with core-validate-commit, the command will generate the validation output in TAP format. This format includes test descriptions, status, and diagnostic information, which can be useful when running the validation command as part of a testing framework.

Example output:

1..1
ok 1 - Commit message follows the required format

Use case 7: Display help

Code:

core-validate-commit --help

Motivation: When working with a new command or trying to recall the available options and their usage, it is helpful to have a quick way to access the command’s help information.

Explanation: Using the --help option with core-validate-commit displays a detailed help message that includes information about the available options, their usage, and examples of how to utilize the command effectively. This can assist developers in understanding and correctly using the command.

Example output:

Usage: core-validate-commit [options]

Options:
  --list          List all validation rules
  --list-subsystem List all valid Node.js subsystems
  --tap           Format output in TAP (Test Anything Protocol)
  --help          Display help

Conclusion:

The core-validate-commit command provides various useful features to validate commit messages in the Node.js core repository. From validating the current commit to listing available rules and subsystems, this command helps developers adhere to commit message formatting and conventions. By utilizing the different use cases mentioned in this article, developers can ensure that their commit messages are valid and meet the required standards.