When I create a new GitHub repository from my GitHub template, the first git commit message is automatically set to this:
Initial commit
How can I override this? I couldn't find a way to change the initial commit message in the settings.
- I don't think you can. Use the command line to create the first commit, where you have control.torek– torek2022-04-03 07:45:00 +00:00Commented Apr 3, 2022 at 7:45
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2 Answers
It is possible to do this with a GitHub Action that defines the on.create field like this:
# The workflow will run only when `use this template` is used on: create: See how I managed to do this in my foundry-template project.
answered Nov 11, 2022 at 11:44
Paul Razvan Berg
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djsp
Can you elaborate on your solution? I understand your code ends up calling
git commit --amend. However, according to the GitHub documentation, the event create triggers not (specifically) when a repository is created from a template, but whenever a git reference (branch or tag) is created. How does your workflow not run every time you push a new branch or tag?
Paul Razvan Berg
@djsp It might be true that the workflow runs on every new branch or tag, but in my scenario, I don't mind that, because I am only maintaining a
main branch, and no tags. However, I don't see why this should be a problem anyway, because of the check on line 12, which ensures that the workflow is never run in the template repo itself.As mentioned in the comment by @torek, you cannot change the commit message from GitHub Web app directly, you can do it once you clone it in your system using a cli using git rebase -i --root. You can refer to this video for instructions
Below is the steps you need to follow:
- Clone the repository locally & Open the folder of the repository in a terminal or your favorite IDE with an integrated terminal
- run the following command in the terminal
git rebase -i --root- This displays all the list of commits in your repository to let you edit (screenshot below).
- hit the i key in your keyboard which starts the edit more
- Go to your first commit in the list of commits and replace
pickwithreword - Hit Escape to stop editing
- Type
:wqon your keyboard (to write and quit) and hit Enter- This finally opens up the commit allowing you to change the commit message
- Make the change to the commit message and type
:wqon your keyboard- This makes the changes in you local repository
- Thats it, now you can push your changes to your remote repository with
git push --force- you need to use
--force.
- you need to use
