Enforcing JIRA ticket references in Git commit messages

Other Questions Jira
1

Our team is switching from SVN to Git. We use JIRA for tracking issues. We want to make sure every Git commit has a JIRA ticket number.

We tried using a commit-msg hook to check for ticket numbers. But this hook doesn’t get copied when someone clones the repo. So we can’t enforce the rule for everyone.

JIRA uses Fisheye to look at our Git repo. It shows changes under the right issue when the commit message has the ticket number. But if someone forgets to add it, JIRA can’t link the changes.

Is there a better way to make sure all commits have JIRA ticket numbers? Maybe we’re not using Git right? Or does anyone have a different script that can help?

Here’s a simple example of what we’re trying to do:

 def check_commit_message(message):
     if not re.search(r'PROJ-\d+', message):
         print('Error: Commit message must include a JIRA ticket number')
         return False
     return True

We’d appreciate any ideas on how to solve this!

2

Having faced similar challenges, I can attest that server-side hooks are indeed effective. However, another approach worth considering is utilizing Git aliases. You can create a custom ‘git commit’ command that prompts for a JIRA ticket number and automatically includes it in the commit message.

Here’s a basic implementation:

git config --global alias.jira-commit '!f() { ticket=$1; shift; git commit -m "[$ticket] $@"; }; f'

Developers would then use ‘git jira-commit PROJ-123 Your commit message’ to commit changes. This method encourages compliance without being overly restrictive, and it works regardless of where the repository is cloned.

Additionally, integrating this practice into your CI/CD pipeline can provide an extra layer of verification. A pre-merge check in your pipeline can ensure all commits in a pull request contain valid JIRA references before allowing merges to proceed.

3

hey, i’ve been there too. one thing that worked for us was using git hooks on the server side. that way, it catches everything before it gets in.

we also made a git alias that adds the jira number automatically. it’s pretty sweet - you just type ‘git jira-commit PROJ-123 your message’ and it formats it right.

maybe give those a shot? good luck!

4

I’ve been through a similar transition, and I can tell you it’s not always smooth sailing. One approach that worked well for us was implementing a server-side hook on the central repository. This way, it doesn’t matter if developers have the hook locally - the central repo enforces the rule.

We set up a pre-receive hook on our GitLab server that checks commit messages before accepting pushes. It rejects any commits without proper JIRA references. This solved the enforcement issue across the team.

Another trick we used was creating a custom Git commit template. It includes a placeholder for the JIRA ticket number, reminding developers to include it. You can set this up as part of your Git configuration.

Lastly, we found that clear communication and team buy-in were crucial. We explained the importance of linking commits to JIRA tickets and how it benefits the whole team. This helped create a culture where everyone naturally included ticket numbers in their commits.

Remember, tools can help, but a shared understanding of best practices is what really makes the difference.