How to Use the Command 'husky' (with Examples)

Husky is a tool designed to simplify the process of working with Git hooks. These hooks are scripts that Git executes before or after events such as commits, pushes, and merges. Husky makes it easy to manage these hooks in a consistent and cross-platform manner, helping teams enforce coding standards, run tests, or take any custom actions automatically during Git workflows. More information on how to use Husky can be found here .

Install Husky in the Current Directory

Code:

husky install

Motivation:
Installing Husky in the current directory initializes your project with the necessary Git hooks configuration. This is a crucial first step for integrating Husky into your project, as it sets up the directory structure and initial configuration for managing your hooks. This command essentially converts your Git project into one that can seamlessly use Husky, making the management of hooks much more straightforward and organized.

Explanation:

• husky: Refers to the command line tool itself, which manages Git hooks scripts.
• install: This command tells Husky to set up its configuration files in the current working directory, enabling Husky to start managing Git hooks for this project.

Example Output:

husky - Git hooks installed

Install Husky into a Specific Directory

Code:

husky install path/to/directory

Motivation:
In some scenarios, developers might want to initialize Husky in a different directory that’s not the current working directory. This might be the case in monorepo setups or when testing out Git hooks in isolated environments. Specifying the path allows for greater flexibility and control over where Husky installs and manages its configuration files.

Explanation:

• husky: Invokes the Husky tool.
• install: Initiates the installation process for Husky files.
• path/to/directory: This argument specifies the exact directory where Husky should set up its hooks. It allows developers to manage multiple directories within a cohesive project structure, which is common in large projects.

Example Output:

husky - Git hooks installed in path/to/directory

Set a Specific Command as a pre-push Hook for Git

Code:

husky set .husky/pre-push "command command_arguments"

Motivation:
Setting a pre-push hook is particularly useful for enforcing checks before changes are pushed to a remote repository. For example, you might want to run linting tools, ensure tests pass, or verify code quality metrics before allowing the push to occur. This can help maintain high code quality standards and avoid broken code being pushed upstream.

Explanation:

• husky: The command line tool being used.
• set: This tells Husky to assign a specific command to a Git hook.
• .husky/pre-push: The file where the specified command will be set as the Git hook. The pre-push hook runs before the git push action completes.
• "command command_arguments": The specific command to be run when the hook is triggered, wrapped in quotes to be treated as a single string. This could be any command or script that is crucial to be executed before the push.

Example Output:

husky - pre-push hook created

Add a Specific Command to the Current pre-commit Hook

Code:

husky add .husky/pre-commit "command command_arguments"

Motivation:
Adding commands to a pre-commit hook ensures that certain processes (like code linting, formatting, or static analysis tools) are run automatically before changes are committed. This enables a smooth and consistent development workflow by enforcing code quality checks every time a commit is crafted, thereby catching potential issues early in the development process.

Explanation:

• husky: The Husky CLI tool.
• add: Command that appends to or creates a new hook if it doesn’t exist.
• .husky/pre-commit: The target file where the command will be inserted as a pre-commit hook. The pre-commit hook runs before git commit operation completes.
• "command command_arguments": The command sequence to execute as part of the pre-commit process. Like before, it’s encased in quotes to ensure it is processed as a single entry.

Example Output:

husky - pre-commit hook added

Uninstall Husky Hooks from the Current Directory

Code:

husky uninstall

Motivation:
There might come a time when you want to remove Husky hooks, perhaps because the project requirements have changed, or you are transitioning to a different hooks management tool. This command makes it straightforward to remove all Husky-related setup from the current directory, ensuring a clean state without manual deletions, which can often lead to errors.

Explanation:

• husky: The CLI tool controlling the hooks.
• uninstall: This command removes the Husky configuration and any set hooks from the current directory, effectively disabling Husky’s hook management for the project.

Example Output:

husky - Git hooks uninstalled

Display Help

Code:

husky

Motivation:
Accessing the help documentation directly from the command line is invaluable for developers needing a quick reference on command usage and available options. Giving the basic husky command without any sub-commands provides an overview of what can be done with Husky, helping users quickly get the information they need to proceed efficiently.

Explanation:

• husky: When executed without any subsequent arguments or options, it displays the general help information available within the Husky command line tool, listing available commands and brief descriptions.

Example Output:

Usage: husky [options] [command]

Options:
  -h, --help  output usage information

Commands:
  install [dir]  setup directory and install git hooks
  uninstall     uninstall git hooks
  add <file> [cmd]    add a hook
  set <file> <cmd>    create a hook or overwrite

Conclusion:

Husky simplifies Git hook management, automating critical tasks in a project’s development cycle. Whether you’re setting up tests to run pre-push, adding format checks pre-commit, or uninstalling hooks when they’re no longer needed, Husky offers a streamlined approach to maintaining high code standards. By integrating seamlessly with npm/yarn workflows, it’s an essential tool for modern codebase management.