Using Conventional Commits in GitHub Actions

Maintaining a clear commit history is crucial in software projects. Conventional Commits provide a structured way to format commit messages, which can be enforced using GitHub Actions.

Setting Up the GitHub Action

Create a workflow file at .github/workflows/conventional-commits.yml:

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name: Conventional Commits
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on:
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  pull_request:
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    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, edited]
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permissions:
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  contents: write
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  issues: write
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  pull-requests: write
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  id-token: write
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jobs:
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  conventional-commits:
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    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
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    steps:
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      - uses: ytanikin/PRConventionalCommits@1.1.0
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        with:
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          task_types: '["feat","fix","docs","refactor","test","ci","chore","revert","release","merge","hotfix"]'

This action validates pull request titles against the Conventional Commits standard, triggering on pull request events.

Conventional Commit Format

Messages follow this pattern:

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<type>[optional scope]: <description>
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[optional body]
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[optional footer(s)]

Common Types

Examples

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feat: add user login feature
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fix: resolve issue with user logout
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docs: update README with setup instructions
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ci: add conventional commits workflow
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refactor: extract auth logic into service

Benefits

1. Automated changelogs — Generate changelogs automatically from commit history
2. Semantic versioning — Automate version bumps based on commit types
3. Clearer communication — Standardized messages make the history readable for the entire team

Conclusion

By integrating Conventional Commits into your GitHub workflow, you ensure a maintainable and understandable commit history. The automation catches non-conforming titles early, keeping your project’s git log clean and useful.