# Gitmoji — An Emoji Guide for Commit Messages

> Standardize your git commit messages with expressive emoji prefixes using a searchable reference and interactive CLI tool.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Gitmoji — An Emoji Guide for Commit Messages

## Quick Use
```bash
npm install -g gitmoji-cli
gitmoji -c
# Follow the interactive prompts to compose a commit with an emoji prefix
```

## Introduction
Gitmoji is a standardized emoji guide for git commit messages. Each emoji maps to a specific type of change, making commit history scannable at a glance. The project includes a searchable web reference and a CLI tool that walks you through composing well-structured commits.

## What Gitmoji Does
- Defines a curated set of emoji-to-intent mappings for commit messages
- Provides an interactive CLI that prompts for the right emoji, scope, and description
- Offers a searchable web reference at gitmoji.dev for quick lookup
- Integrates with git hooks to enforce emoji-prefixed commits across teams
- Supports custom emoji mappings via a local configuration file

## Architecture Overview
The project is split into two parts: the gitmoji specification (a JSON list of emoji-intent pairs) and gitmoji-cli (a Node.js CLI tool). The CLI hooks into `git commit` via an interactive wizard or can be set up as a prepare-commit-msg hook. The web reference is a static site generated from the same JSON source of truth.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install the CLI globally: `npm install -g gitmoji-cli`
- Initialize in a repo: `gitmoji -i` to set up a git hook
- Configure with `gitmoji -g` to set emoji format (emoji character vs :code:)
- Add custom mappings in `.gitmoji` config file at the project root
- Works alongside Commitlint and Husky for enforced commit conventions

## Key Features
- Over 70 curated emoji mappings covering features, fixes, docs, CI, deps, and more
- Interactive commit wizard with fuzzy search for finding the right emoji
- Git hook integration for team-wide commit message consistency
- Configurable emoji output format: Unicode emoji or GitHub :shortcode: syntax
- Active community maintaining the specification with regular additions

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Conventional Commits** — uses text prefixes like feat:/fix: instead of emoji; Gitmoji adds visual scanning speed
- **Commitizen** — similar interactive commit flow; Gitmoji focuses on emoji semantics rather than changelog generation
- **Commitlint** — validates commit format but does not suggest content; pairs well with Gitmoji for enforcement
- **Semantic Release** — automates versioning from commits; can consume Gitmoji-prefixed messages with a parser plugin

## FAQ
**Q: Can I use Gitmoji with Conventional Commits?**
A: Yes. Many teams combine both, using an emoji prefix followed by a conventional type like `feat:` or `fix:`.

**Q: Does the emoji format affect git tooling?**
A: No. Git treats emoji as regular UTF-8 characters. GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket all render them in commit logs.

**Q: How do I enforce Gitmoji across a team?**
A: Run `gitmoji -i` in the repo to install a prepare-commit-msg hook, or pair it with Husky and Commitlint.

**Q: Can I customize the emoji list?**
A: Yes. Create a `.gitmoji` configuration file to add, remove, or remap emoji to match your team's conventions.

## Sources
- https://github.com/carloscuesta/gitmoji
- https://gitmoji.dev/

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-cc7af152
Author: AI Open Source