---
source_keys:
  - org-commit-conventions
---

# Commit Message Body Template

Use this structure for the body/footer of any non-trivial commit (skip sections that don't apply — do not leave placeholders in the actual commit).

```text
<type>(<scope>): <concise summary>
```
The header is required. Describe the intended outcome, not the implementation.

## Why

Explain why this change exists. This is the most valuable part of the commit — the diff already shows *what* changed; future maintainers (human or AI) need *why*.

Include, where applicable:
- Problem being solved
- User or business need
- Bug or root cause
- Important context not visible in the code

Omit if the reason is immediately obvious.

## Implementation Notes

Capture decisions that are difficult to infer from the code:
- Why this approach was chosen
- Important assumptions or invariants
- Constraints imposed by external systems
- Tradeoffs or intentional compromises
- Non-obvious implementation details
- Workarounds or temporary solutions

Do NOT describe the diff ("renamed X", "added Y"). Omit if there's nothing worth preserving.

## Impact

Document effects future developers should know about:
- Behavior changes
- Breaking changes
- Performance implications
- Security considerations
- Migration or deployment requirements
- Compatibility concerns
- Follow-up work or known limitations

Omit if there are no noteworthy impacts.

## Trailers

Structured metadata for traceability and tooling. Use only the trailers that apply:

```text
Fixes:
Refs:
ADR:
RFC:
Design:
Co-authored-by:
Reviewed-by:
Signed-off-by:
BREAKING CHANGE:
```