Best open-source tool to enforce commit message trailers like Assisted-by or Co-authored-by in CI — commitlint vs gitlint vs custom hooks?

To effectively enforce commit message trailers like "Assisted-by" or "Co-authored-by" in CI, you have several solid options: commitlint, gitlint, and custom hooks. Here's how they stack up against each other.

The Heavyweight Contender: commitlint

• Stars: 18,755
• Last Push: Just pushed 0 days ago
• Maintenance Status: ✅ Actively maintained
• Open Issues: 81
• License: MIT

Commitlint is the gold standard for linting commit messages, specifically tailored for the Conventional Commits format. It integrates effortlessly with CI/CD pipelines and employs hooks via tools like Husky for real-time linting before commits are finalized. The documentation is comprehensive, and it's widely adopted across numerous projects.

Benefits:

• Supports various configurations, including your custom rules for trailers.
• Easily integrates with CI environments for automated checks.
• Strong community and extensive documentation.

The Underdog: gitlint

• Stars: 973
• Last Push: 808 days ago (stale)
• Maintenance Status: ⚠️ Caution (stale)
• Open Issues: 63
• License: MIT

Gitlint is another option but written in Python. It validates commit message styles but hasn't had activity in over two years, indicating potential neglect. While it can handle custom linting rules, it’s less robust than commitlint.

Benefits:

• Lightweight and simple to use for Python projects.
• Allows customization for commit message formats, including trailers.

The Outlier: Custom Hooks

Using Git hooks directly might seem like a tricky path, but it can offer the most control if configured properly. You can script your own checks before allowing commits, including checks for specific trailers.

Potential Drawbacks:

• Requires more manual configuration and maintenance.
• Might lack the comprehensive features and community support available in dedicated tools like commitlint or gitlint.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

Go with commitlint as your primary tool for enforcing commit message trailers in CI. Its active maintenance and widespread adoption validate it as the reliable standard. Use gitlint if you're in a Python environment and willing to handle the risks of a stale project. Custom hooks can be an option if you want granular control but come with an overhead of manual maintenance.

Recommendation: Choose commitlint for robust, tried-and-tested commit message enforcement; opt for gitlint for lightweight requirements if you're prepared for potential risks.