What does this skill do, and when should you use it?
This skill defines strict commit message and branch naming standards for the Engram repository, covering 11 commit types, optional scope, breaking-change markers, and a mandatory `type/description` branch format. These rules are enforced by GitHub rulesets, which reject pushes that don't comply. The skill includes the exact regex used by GitHub, valid and invalid examples, and a pre-commit checklist to help contributors pass on the first try. It applies to commits, branch creation, PR review, and cleaning up staged changes.
Defines and explains the Conventional Commits format (<type>(<scope>): <description> with ! for breaking changes), lists 11 allowed commit types; defines branch regex ^(feat|fix|chore|docs|style|refactor|perf|test|build|ci|revert)\/[a-z0-9._-]+$; provides valid and invalid commit and branch examples; offers a pre-commit checklist (confirm format, no unrelated files, no secrets, no Co-Authored-By trailers). It does not execute any automated checks—only provides guidance.
- A contributor creating a commit needs to format the message per Conventional Commits to avoid rejection by GitHub rulesets.
- A developer creating a new branch must name it in `type/description` format to align with repo standards.
- A maintainer reviewing a PR uses this skill to verify commit history and branch naming compliance.
- A contributor cleaning up staged changes refers to the checklist to ensure no generated files or local configs are committed.
How do you install this skill?
- The skill depends on GitHub rulesets for enforcement, but no corresponding ruleset configuration is present in the repository; users should verify actual enforcement.
- The skill only covers commit and branch naming and may not apply to other VCS platforms (e.g., GitLab, Bitbucket).
- No special adaptation for Chinese users, but the material is in English; applicability is not affected by network reachability.
This skill is part of the Gentleman-Programming/engram repository at skills/commit-hygiene/SKILL.md. Clone the repo or copy the skill folder into your Agent Skills directory. Once installed, your agent will automatically load this skill in relevant contexts (commits, branches, reviews).
tmp="$(mktemp -d)"
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Gentleman-Programming/engram.git "$tmp"
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills
cp -R "$tmp/skills/commit-hygiene" ~/.claude/skills/
rm -rf "$tmp"Generated from the source repository and skill path; it copies only this skill's folder. If the author's install steps above differ, follow those first. To scope it to one project, replace ~/.claude/skills with that project's .claude/skills.
How do you use this skill?
When creating a commit, naming a branch, or reviewing a PR, the agent uses this skill to guide formatting. For example, you can prompt 'Generate a commit message following this repo's commit guidelines' and the agent will produce a compliant message using the types, scopes, and description rules provided.
What are this skill's strengths and limitations?
- Clear commit and branch formats reduce communication overhead.
- Enforced by GitHub rulesets for consistency.
- Includes detailed examples and a checklist for easy adherence.
- Portable to any project that uses Conventional Commits.
- Specific to this repository (Engram), limited general applicability.
- Skill itself provides no automation; relies on external rulesets.
- No mention of Windows or legacy Git compatibility issues.
- No automated tests or validation; depends on human compliance.
How does this skill compare with similar options?
Side by side with related skills; every score comes from the same FSRS standard.
| Skill | FS score | Stars | Last updated | License |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engram Commit Hygiene this page | 43 · Not recommended | ★ 7.1k | 4d ago | MIT |
| Engram PR Workflow | 54 · Use with care | ★ 7.1k | 4d ago | MIT |
| Branch & PR Discipline Enforcer | 49 · Use with care | ★ 7.6k | 3d ago | MIT |
| CE Commit Assistant | 51 · Use with care | ★ 25k | 3d ago | MIT |
| PR Submission Conventions | 40 · Not recommended | ★ 5.2k | 3d ago | Apache-2.0 |
How did FollowSkills review this skill?
The skill only prescribes commit and branch naming conventions enforced by GitHub rulesets, with no sensitive data handling or external side effects. However, it lacks configuration, verification, or review steps, and does not explain rollback, leaving trust scenario incomplete.
Rules are detailed and self-consistent, but no tests or error handling instructions are provided; static review cannot verify execution.
Use cases are clear (creating commits, branches, reviews), but capability boundaries and non-fit scenarios are not declared, and triggers rely on implicit understanding.
Documentation is well-structured, including version, author, examples, and invalid examples, but lacks known limitations, changelog, maintenance responsibility, and update path.
The skill provides specifications, but there is no direct evidence that it achieves its claimed benefits; static review cannot confirm marginal value over manual effort.
Key claims (e.g., GitHub ruleset enforcement) are not corroborated by repository configurations, tests, or third-party execution evidence; cannot be independently verified.
Open a dimension to read why it scored that way
Evidence confidence：Low — Mostly static review, author material or a limited demo; useful for discovery, not high-risk decisions.
See the full review method →