TECH Signal 414
Commit message test plans
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A software engineer details a workflow for embedding executable test plans within Git commit messages using a tool called scrut.
This approach turns descriptive commit messages into runnable validation steps, ensuring tests actually catch the intended issues. It is particularly useful for validating patch stacks during rebases and quickly bisecting failures. However, it relies on a single feed and represents a personal workflow rather than a widely adopted standard.
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The author uses a custom script to extract and execute test commands written in scrut code blocks directly from commit messages.
This workflow allows engineers to re-validate entire commit stacks and quickly identify the first broken commit during a rebase.
The method supports ad-hoc and differential testing, though auto-updating snapshot tests is not integrated due to the complexity of writing changes back to commit messages.
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