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git-intent is a Git workflow tool designed for creating intentional commits.
Most developers tend to write code first and only think about commit messages afterward.
This often results in large, unfocused, and unclear commits.
Inspired by the Test-Driven Development (TDD) approach, git-intent helps you define clear intents before you start coding, making your commit process an intentional part of development.
By focusing on your intent before coding, git-intent helps you:
- Maintain a clean and navigable commit history
- Clearly communicate your development purpose
- Prevent scope creep and ensure atomic changes
- Improve collaboration and project maintainability
Special thanks to Joohoon Cha for introducing the Intent-Driven Git Workflow concept.
flowchart LR
A[Define Intent] -->|git intent add| B[Start Work]
B -->|git intent start| C[Code]
C -->|git intent commit| A
subgraph "Optional Actions"
D[Divide Intent]
E[Cancel Intent]
F[Drop Intent]
end
C -.->|git intent divide| D
C -.->|git intent cancel| E
A -.->|git intent drop| F
# 1. Install Using NPM
npm install -g git-intent
# 2. Add an intention
git intent add "feat: create user login page"
# 3. Start working
git intent start- Git (>= 2.0)
- Node.js (>= 18)
npm install -g git-intentYou can install git-intent directly using our install script with Homebrew:
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/offlegacy/git-intent/main/scripts/install.sh)"This script uses Homebrew and is only available for macOS. Homebrew must be installed on your system before running this script.
# NPM
npm update -g git-intent
# Check version
git intent --version# Add intentions
git intent add "feat: implement login page"
git intent add # opens editor
# List and manage
git intent list # show all intentions
git intent show # show current intention
git intent start # start working (interactive)
git intent start <id> # start specific intention
# Complete or modify
git intent commit # commit current intention
git intent commit -m "Additional message" # with extra details
git intent cancel # cancel current intention
git intent reset # clear all intentions
# Advanced
git intent divide # split intention (interactive)
git intent divide <id> # split specific intention
git intent drop # remove intention (interactive)
git intent drop <id> # remove specific intentionQ: Why define intentions before coding?
A: Clearly defined intentions help you stay focused, create more meaningful commits, and improve collaboration and readability of commit history.
Q: Where are my intentions stored? Are they shared or committed to Git?
A: Intentions are stored locally in your repository's .git directory and are not shared or committed. They remain private unless explicitly shared.
We warmly welcome contributions from the community. See our detailed guide: