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Git Workflow & Commit Policy

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Ghazi Ben Achour edited this page Dec 20, 2025 · 1 revision

This document defines the branching strategy and commit conventions for the Interzone Editions website repository. Its goal is to keep the project clear, maintainable, and collaborative, while remaining simple enough for a small team.

1. Branching Strategy

We use two long-living branches:

prod

  • Represents the live website
  • Must always be stable and deployable
  • Direct commits to prod are not allowed
  • Updated only via merges from dev

dev

  • Main working branch
  • All features, fixes, and improvements are developed here
  • Can be unstable during active development
  • Regularly merged into prod when a release is ready

2. Commit Philosophy

Commits should be:

  • Small and focused
  • Readable by humans
  • Explicit about intent

A commit should ideally:

  • Do one thing
  • Explain what was done, not just how

3. Commit Message Format

We use a conventional-style commit format:

<type>: <short description>

Rules

  • Use present tense (“add”, not “added”)
  • Keep the first line under ~72 characters
  • No period at the end of the subject line

4. Commit Types

feat

New functionality or user-facing feature.

feat: add event archive page
feat: implement newsletter signup form

fix

Bug fixes or corrections.

fix: correct mobile navigation overflow
fix: resolve broken links on artists page

style

Changes that do not affect behavior: formatting, spacing, CSS-only changes.

style: adjust typography for event listings
style: rework color contrast for accessibility

refactor

Code restructuring without changing functionality.

refactor: simplify navigation component logic
refactor: reorganize CSS variables

perf

Performance improvements.

perf: optimize image loading on homepage
perf: reduce bundle size by removing unused scripts

docs

Documentation changes only.

docs: add commit policy to wiki
docs: update README installation steps

chore

Maintenance tasks, tooling, config, dependencies.

chore: update build dependencies
chore: configure linting rules

content

Content-only updates (texts, bios, event descriptions).

content: update artist bio for Emna Maaref
content: add September event descriptions
  1. When to Commit
  • Commit early and often
  • Don’t wait until everything is “perfect”
  • Avoid massive “everything changed” commits

Bad:

fix: stuff

Good:

fix: correct date formatting on event cards

6. Merging Policy

  • All work is merged into dev
  • dev is merged into prod:
    • when a release is ready
    • after basic testing (manual or automated)
  • Merge commits should be clear and intentional

Example merge message:

feat: implement home page carousel to production

8. Final Notes

This policy exists to:

  • Preserve clarity
  • Respect contributors’ time
  • Make Interzone Editions’ digital presence sustainable

If in doubt: keep it simple, readable, and intentional.

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