style: Code Formatting Changes

The style Commit Type

The style type is used for changes that do not affect the meaning or behavior of the code. This includes formatting, white space, semicolons, quotes, trailing commas, and other cosmetic changes. Under Semantic Versioning, style commits do not trigger any version bump.

Example Messages

style: apply prettier formatting to all files

style(components): convert double quotes to single quotes

style: fix indentation in config files

When to Use style

Use style when your commit:

• Applies auto-formatting (Prettier, ESLint --fix, Black, etc.)
• Changes indentation (tabs to spaces or vice versa)
• Changes quote style (single to double or vice versa)
• Adds or removes trailing commas
• Fixes whitespace issues (trailing spaces, blank lines)
• Reorders imports without changing which imports are used

When NOT to Use style

Change	Use instead
Renaming a variable	refactor
Adding comments that explain logic	docs
Removing unused code	refactor
Fixing a linting error that changes behavior	fix

style vs refactor

The key distinction:

• style: Only whitespace, formatting, and cosmetic changes. A diff tool would show changes, but an AST comparison would show identical trees.
• refactor: The code structure changes (different AST), but behavior stays the same.

Best Practices

1. Separate formatting commits from logic changes. This makes code reviews easier.
2. Use automated formatters and commit their output as a single style commit.
3. Mention the tool used in the description:

   style: apply prettier v3.2 formatting
   

4. Batch formatting changes into a single commit rather than formatting file by file.