As developers, we often face decision fatigue from the multitude of choices we need to make daily. Streamlining routine tasks like committing and pushing code changes can significantly reduce cognitive load and improve productivity. One effective way to achieve this is by using Git status short codes to quickly interpret and act on the status of your files. In this post, we’ll explore how to simplify your Git workflow with a script that automates the commit and push process using Git status short codes.

Understanding Git Status Short Codes

Git’s status --short command provides a concise overview of the changes in your working directory. Here are some common short codes and their meanings:

  • M: Modified file
  • A: Added file
  • D: Deleted file
  • R: Renamed file
  • C: Copied file
  • ??: Untracked file

These codes help you quickly understand the state of your files without overwhelming details.

Automating the Git Workflow

To automate the process of adding, committing, and pushing changes, we can use a simple bash script that leverages these short codes. The script will generate a dynamic commit message based on the status of your files, reducing the need for manual intervention and decision-making.

The Bash Script

Here’s the complete script that performs these tasks:

#!/bin/bash

# Add all new and modified files, including untracked files
git add -A

# Run git status with short output format and capture the output
status_output=$(git status --short)

# Function to interpret git status short codes
interpret_status() {
  while read -r line; do
    code=${line:0:2}
    file=${line:3}

    case "$code" in
      " M") echo "Modified: $file";;
      "A ") echo "Added: $file";;
      " D") echo "Deleted: $file";;
      "R ") echo "Renamed: $file";;
      "C ") echo "Copied: $file";;
      "??") echo "Untracked: $file";;
      "M ") echo "Modified in index: $file";;
      "T ") echo "Type changed in index: $file";;
      "A ") echo "Added to index: $file";;
      "D ") echo "Deleted from index: $file";;
      "R ") echo "Renamed in index: $file";;
      "C ") echo "Copied in index: $file";;
      *) echo "Unknown status for $file";;
    esac
  done <<< "$1"
}

# Generate a dynamic commit message based on the status output
commit_message="Auto-commit: $(date +'%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S') - $(interpret_status "$status_output")"

# Commit the changes with the generated commit message
git commit -m "$commit_message"

# Push the commit
git push

echo "Changes have been pushed with commit message: $commit_message"

How the Script Works

  1. Adding Files: The script starts by staging all new, modified, and untracked files using git add -A.
  2. Capturing Status: It then captures the short status output with git status --short.
  3. Interpreting Status: A function, interpret_status, reads the status output line by line and translates the short codes into human-readable messages.
  4. Generating Commit Message: The script constructs a dynamic commit message that includes the current date and time along with the interpreted status of the files.
  5. Committing and Pushing: Finally, the script commits the changes with the generated message and pushes them to the remote repository.

Benefits of Using This Script

  • Reduces Decision Fatigue: Automating the commit message generation reduces the mental load of deciding what to include in each commit message.
  • Increases Productivity: By streamlining the commit and push process, you can focus more on coding and less on managing version control.
  • Ensures Consistency: The script provides a consistent format for commit messages, making it easier to track changes over time.

Conclusion

Integrating this script into your Git workflow can significantly reduce decision fatigue and speed up routine tasks. By leveraging Git status short codes, you can quickly interpret the state of your files and automate the commit and push process. This streamlined approach helps maintain a productive and consistent workflow, allowing you to focus on what matters most—writing great code.

Feel free to customize the script to better suit your needs, and enjoy a more efficient Git workflow!