🔧 Raise commit message limits to 80 chars

Relax the subject limit from 70 to 80 characters and the body
wrap limit from 76 to 80. Merge/Revert/Reapply commits skip the
subject length check since git prepends those prefixes to an
existing subject. Update the checker, its tests, and all related
docs and memories accordingly.

AI-assisted-by: muse-spark-1.3-contributor
Signed-off-by: Andrey Antukh <niwi@niwi.nz>

.agents/skills/create-commit/SKILL.md

@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@ subject/body limits, and the `AI-assisted-by` trailer. Follow it exactly.
 
 ## Iron Rules (non-negotiable)
 
-1. **Wrap every body line at 76 characters or fewer.** Count characters, do
+1. **Wrap every body line at 80 characters or fewer.** Count characters, do
    not eyeball. Exceptions: `Signed-off-by:` / `AI-assisted-by:` trailers and
    lines carrying a URL. This is the rule agents skip most often.
-2. **Subject ≤70 chars**, imperative, capitalized, no trailing period.
+2. **Subject ≤80 chars**, imperative, capitalized, no trailing period.
+   `Merge`/`Revert`/`Reapply` commits skip the length check.
 3. **Blank line between subject and body.**
 4. **Run `./scripts/check-commit` and require exit code 0.** It mechanically
    checks rules 1–3. A non-zero exit is a hard blocker: fix the message and
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ subject/body limits, and the `AI-assisted-by` trailer. Follow it exactly.
    that does not match the stated intent, **STOP** and tell the user before
    committing.
 3. Draft the message following the format in the memory doc, wrapping the body
-   at 76 characters per line, and run:
+   at 80 characters per line, and run:
    ```bash
    git commit -m "<subject>" -m "<body>"
    ```

.serena/memories/critical-info.md

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ You are working on the GitHub project `penpot/penpot`, a monorepo.
 # Development workflow
 
 - Commit/PR/issue creation is **on explicit request only**. Before any of these actions, read the relevant memory — don't infer format from prior examples:
-  - Before `git commit` → `mem:workflow/creating-commits` (subject/body format, 76-char body wrapping enforced by `scripts/check-commit`, `AI-assisted-by: model-name` trailer)
+  - Before `git commit` → `mem:workflow/creating-commits` (subject/body format, 80-char body wrapping enforced by `scripts/check-commit`, `AI-assisted-by: model-name` trailer)
   - Before `gh issue create` → `mem:workflow/creating-issues` (title derivation, body template, labels, Issue Type)
   - Before `gh pr create` / `gh pr edit` → `mem:workflow/creating-prs` (title format, body structure, "Note:" line)
 - Before a repo-wide pnpm version update → `mem:workflow/updating-pnpm` (workspace layout, `scripts/sync-pnpm-version` flow, the stamp-missing-field and ignored-builds gotchas, verification steps)

.serena/memories/workflow/creating-commits.md

@@ -11,12 +11,11 @@ automatically pull the identity from the local git config `user.name` and `user.
 ## Message Format
 
 ```
-:emoji: Subject line (imperative, capitalized, no period, <=70 chars)
+:emoji: Subject line (imperative, capitalized, no period, <=80 chars)
 
 Body explaining what changed and why.
-Wrap lines at 76 characters — git log adds a
-four-space indent, so 76 + 4 fits an 80-column
-terminal. Keep each line concise.
+Wrap lines at 80 characters.
+Keep each line concise.
 
 AI-assisted-by: model-name
 ```
@@ -26,16 +25,17 @@ AI-assisted-by: model-name
 These rules are not advisory. Do not commit until every one holds. A commit
 that breaks them is wrong, even if the code is right.
 
-- **Body lines MUST wrap at 76 characters or fewer.** Measure every line; do
-  not eyeball it. This is the rule most often skipped. Rationale: `git log`
-  indents the body four spaces, so 76 + 4 fits an 80-column terminal.
-- **Subject MUST be ≤70 chars**, imperative, capitalized, no trailing period.
+- **Body lines MUST wrap at 80 characters or fewer.** Measure every line; do
+  not eyeball it. This is the rule most often skipped.
+- **Subject MUST be ≤80 chars**, imperative, capitalized, no trailing period.
+  Merge/Revert/Reapply commits skip the length check: git prepends those
+  prefixes to an existing subject.
 - **MUST be a blank line** between subject and body.
 - **MUST run `scripts/check-commit` and get exit code 0 before finishing.**
   It mechanically validates the rules above; a failing run is a blocker.
   - It checks `HEAD` by default: `./scripts/check-commit`
   - For another commit: `./scripts/check-commit -c <ref>`
-- **NEVER** hand-wave the body as "one long line". If a line exceeds 76,
+- **NEVER** hand-wave the body as "one long line". If a line exceeds 80,
   break it at a space.
 - **NEVER add a `Co-authored-by:` trailer.** It is forbidden; `scripts/check-commit` fails the commit when any line matches it (case-insensitive).
 - CI runs `scripts/check-commit` on every new commit (`mem:workflow/creating-commits` is enforced by `.github/workflows/commit-checker.yml`), so a forbidden trailer fails the build.

.serena/memories/workflow/creating-prs.md

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ Always add the PR to the Main project (`--project "Main"`) unless the user expli
 PR titles follow commit title conventions:
 
 ```
-:emoji: Subject line (imperative, capitalized, no period, <=70 chars)
+:emoji: Subject line (imperative, capitalized, no period, <=80 chars)
 ```
 
 See `mem:workflow/creating-commits` for emoji codes. Squash merge uses the PR title as the final commit subject, so title format matters.

AGENTS.md

@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
 - **Read `AGENTS.local.md` after this file whenever it exists.** It carries
   the developer's steering for this project and overrides this file on prose style and
   workflow, but not on project policy, where instructions here prevail.
-- **Commit message body lines MUST wrap at ≤76 chars** (subject ≤70 chars) and
+- **Commit message body lines MUST wrap at ≤80 chars** (subject ≤80 chars,
+  except `Merge`/`Revert`/`Reapply` which skip the subject length check) and
   the commit MUST pass `./scripts/check-commit` with exit code 0 before you
   consider it done. This is mechanically checked — do not eyeball it.
 - **Read the workflow memory BEFORE the corresponding action**:

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ commit history — what matters is the [PR title](#title).
 Pull request titles **must** follow the same convention as commit subjects:
 
 ```
-:emoji: Subject line (imperative, capitalized, no period, <=70 chars)
+:emoji: Subject line (imperative, capitalized, no period, <=80 chars)
 ```
 
 Read [Creating Commits](./.serena/memories/workflow/creating-commits.md)
@@ -220,8 +220,10 @@ Commit messages must follow this format:
 - Capitalize the first letter of the subject
 - Add clear and concise description on the body
 - Do not end the subject with a period
-- Keep the subject to **70 characters** or fewer
-- **Wrap body lines at 76 characters or fewer** (trailers and URLs excepted)
+- Keep the subject to **80 characters** or fewer
+  (`Merge`/`Revert`/`Reapply` commits skip this limit, since git prepends
+  those prefixes to an existing subject)
+- **Wrap body lines at 80 characters or fewer** (trailers and URLs excepted)
 - Separate the subject from the body with a **blank line**
 - Never add a `Co-authored-by` trailer — it is forbidden and fails
   `./scripts/check-commit`

scripts/check-commit

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ Check commit messages against Penpot's commit guidelines.
 Validates commit messages using the rules defined in:
   - .github/workflows/commit-checker.yml (regex pattern)
   - CONTRIBUTING.md (formatting rules, subject length, DCO)
-  - .serena/memories/workflow/creating-commits.md (body wrapped at 76 chars)
+  - .serena/memories/workflow/creating-commits.md (body wrapped at 80 chars)
 
 By default, checks HEAD. Use --commit to specify a different commit.
 
@@ -39,12 +39,17 @@ COMMIT_PATTERN = re.compile(
 
 MERGE_PATTERN = re.compile(r"^(Merge|Revert|Reapply).+[^.]$")
 
+# ── Subject line length ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# Subject lines must fit in 80 characters. Merge/Revert/Reapply commits are
+# exempt: git prepends "Merge ..."/"Revert ..." to an existing subject, so
+# enforcing the limit would fail on text the author did not write.
+MAX_SUBJECT_LINE = 80
+
 # ── Body line wrapping ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-# Commit bodies must wrap at 76 characters (see
-# .serena/memories/workflow/creating-commits.md). That leaves room for the
-# four-space indent git log adds, fitting an 80-column terminal. Trailers and
+# Commit bodies must wrap at 80 characters (see
+# .serena/memories/workflow/creating-commits.md). Trailers and
 # URLs are exempt: they cannot be wrapped without losing meaning.
-MAX_BODY_LINE = 76
+MAX_BODY_LINE = 80
 
 TRAILER_PATTERN = re.compile(
     r"^(Signed-off-by|Co-developed-by|Reviewed-by|"
@@ -110,11 +115,13 @@ def check_regex(message):
 
 
 def check_subject_length(message):
-    """Subject line must be ≤ 70 characters."""
+    """Subject line must be ≤ 80 characters (Merge/Revert/Reapply exempt)."""
     first_line = message.split("\n")[0]
-    if len(first_line) > 70:
+    if MERGE_PATTERN.match(first_line):
+        return True, None
+    if len(first_line) > MAX_SUBJECT_LINE:
         return False, (
-            f"Subject line exceeds 70 characters ({len(first_line)} chars):\n"
+            f"Subject line exceeds {MAX_SUBJECT_LINE} characters ({len(first_line)} chars):\n"
             f"  {first_line}"
         )
     return True, None
@@ -166,7 +173,7 @@ def check_body_blank_line(message):
 
 
 def check_body_line_length(message):
-    """Body lines must wrap at 76 characters or fewer.
+    """Body lines must wrap at 80 characters or fewer.
 
     The subject (first line) has its own length rule. Trailers (e.g.
     Signed-off-by) and lines carrying a URL are exempt, since wrapping them
@@ -250,11 +257,11 @@ def main():
 
     validators = [
         ("Regex pattern", check_regex),
-        ("Subject ≤ 70 chars", check_subject_length),
+        ("Subject ≤ 80 chars", check_subject_length),
         ("No trailing period in subject", check_subject_no_trailing_dot),
         ("Subject capitalized", check_subject_capitalized),
         ("Blank line after subject", check_body_blank_line),
-        ("Body wrapped at 76 chars", check_body_line_length),
+        ("Body wrapped at 80 chars", check_body_line_length),
         ("No Co-authored-by trailer", check_no_co_authored_by),
     ]
 

scripts/test_check_commit.py

@@ -55,20 +55,20 @@ class BodyLineLengthTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assert_ok(message)
 
     def test_line_at_limit_passes(self):
-        line = "x " * 38  # 76 chars, breakable
-        self.assertEqual(len(line), 76)
+        line = "x " * 40  # 80 chars, breakable
+        self.assertEqual(len(line), 80)
         self.assert_ok(":bug: Fix crash\n\n" + line + "\n")
 
     def test_line_one_over_limit_fails(self):
-        line = "x " * 38 + "x"  # 77 chars, breakable
-        self.assertEqual(len(line), 77)
+        line = "x " * 40 + "x"  # 81 chars, breakable
+        self.assertEqual(len(line), 81)
         error = self.assert_fail(":bug: Fix crash\n\n" + line + "\n")
-        self.assertIn("76", error)
+        self.assertIn("80", error)
 
     def test_long_body_line_fails(self):
         long_line = "word " * 20  # 100 chars, breakable
         error = self.assert_fail(":bug: Fix crash\n\n" + long_line + "\n")
-        self.assertIn("76", error)
+        self.assertIn("80", error)
         self.assertIn("line 3", error)
 
     def test_subject_is_not_checked(self):
@@ -150,15 +150,34 @@ class SubjectRulesRegressionTests(unittest.TestCase):
         ok, _ = check_commit.check_subject_no_trailing_dot(":bug: Fix crash.")
         self.assertFalse(ok)
 
-    def test_subject_at_70_chars_passes(self):
-        # ":bug: " is 6 chars, so 64 chars of text reach exactly 70.
-        ok, error = check_commit.check_subject_length(":bug: " + "S" * 64)
+    def test_subject_at_80_chars_passes(self):
+        # ":bug: " is 6 chars, so 74 chars of text reach exactly 80.
+        ok, error = check_commit.check_subject_length(":bug: " + "S" * 74)
         self.assertTrue(ok, error)
 
-    def test_subject_over_70_chars_fails(self):
-        ok, error = check_commit.check_subject_length(":bug: " + "S" * 65)
+    def test_subject_over_80_chars_fails(self):
+        ok, error = check_commit.check_subject_length(":bug: " + "S" * 75)
         self.assertFalse(ok)
-        self.assertIn("70", error)
+        self.assertIn("80", error)
+
+    def test_merge_subject_skips_length_check(self):
+        # Git generates Merge subjects from branch names; the limit is skipped.
+        subject = "Merge branch 'some-very-long-branch-name-that-keeps-going' into develop with extra text here"
+        self.assertGreater(len(subject), 80)
+        ok, error = check_commit.check_subject_length(subject)
+        self.assertTrue(ok, error)
+
+    def test_revert_subject_skips_length_check(self):
+        subject = 'Revert ":bug: Fix some earlier commit with a fairly long subject line already here" extra'
+        self.assertGreater(len(subject), 80)
+        ok, error = check_commit.check_subject_length(subject)
+        self.assertTrue(ok, error)
+
+    def test_reapply_subject_skips_length_check(self):
+        subject = 'Reapply ":bug: Fix some earlier commit with a fairly long subject line already here" extra'
+        self.assertGreater(len(subject), 80)
+        ok, error = check_commit.check_subject_length(subject)
+        self.assertTrue(ok, error)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":