How to change a commit description in Git

This guide covers the steps and best practices for changing commit descriptions in Git to maintain clear and accurate project histories.

Understanding commit descriptions in Git

A commit description is a brief explanation attached to each commit that describes the changes introduced.

When to change a commit description

Changing a commit message should be done with caution, especially for commits that have already been shared with others or pushed to a public repository. It's appropriate to modify a commit description if:

• The message contains incorrect, incomplete, or misleading information.
• The commit has not yet been pushed to a public branch or shared with other collaborators.

Steps to change a commit description

Changing the last commit description

If you need to change the description of the most recent commit that has not been pushed yet, you can use the git commit --amend command:

1. Open your terminal and navigate to your repository directory.

2. Run the following command to modify the last commit:

   Terminal

   git commit --amend
   
   

   This command will open your configured text editor (such as Vim, Nano, or Notepad++) with the most recent commit message loaded for editing.

3. Edit the commit message, save the file, and close the editor. The commit description will be updated for your last commit.

Changing older commit descriptions

To change the description of an older commit, you must perform an interactive rebase. Be aware that this method rewrites commit history, which can cause issues for other collaborators if not handled carefully.

1. Identify the commit hash of the commit you want to change by viewing the history:

   Terminal

   git log
   
   

2. Start an interactive rebase to the parent commit of the commit you need to change:

   Terminal

   git rebase -i <commit_hash>^
   
   

   Replace <commit_hash> with the hash of the commit you want to change.

3. Change pick to reword for the commit you wish to change the description of.

4. Save and close the editor. Git will start the rebase process and stop to allow you to change the commit message of the commit you specified.

5. Edit the message, save the file, and close the editor.

6. Complete the rebase by following any on-screen instructions to resolve conflicts or continue the rebase.

Pushing changes

After amending your commit locally, you need to push the changes to Git. If the commit has already been pushed, you will need to force push. However, be cautious as this can disrupt the history for others who have cloned the repository.

git push --force

For further reading see the official Git documentation.