(Emacs+Org-Mode) Hydra For Committing Thing Messages

I want some statistics on my Git commits. Over a time period what did I spend most of it doing? My only questions: what was new, what was refined, and what was fixed. It is a simple question but sometimes I forget the difference between what I consider new versus refined. There are other kids of commits, too.

When I work on GitHub (or the like) I want to handle numbered tasks within my commit message. For example you can close a ticket my writing “Closes #214”. It is commit related. The last thing I use is sort of like a commit.

My Org-Mode workflow is what I feel pretty basic but uses refiling, archiving, and refiling a lot. When I make those changes, it is to me, like a commit.So I put all of those messages in here, too.

This is a super personal hydra, but it is worth sharing the reminder both about the modes and about making commit messages useful. They are most useful to me because there are things that I forget, and so the reminder is right there.

I think that is the thing missed most by Hydra haters: Hydra’s are virtually identical to custom key prefixes. Here is why, here is the workflow for a Hydra:

1. You value some function, but don’t use it much.
2. So you put it in a Hydra with a note to remind you about it.
3. Then that Hydra becomes so important and frequently used that you never even read the Hydra anymore.

If/when I use a prefix key or a custom keymap, that is always the workflow that I follow to get there. I don’t waste time guessing what might be important and not.

To provide some contrast, the entire right side of my keyboard has super-bindings for Org-Mode commands, so I know how to do that, too 😄.

Here is the code.

Quick note about intent of the change.

(defhydra help/hydra/commit-message (:color blue
                                            :hint nil)
  "
Commit Message Descriptor (q to quit)
_E_nhances: \"an increase or improvement in quality, value, or extent.\"
_R_efines: \"the improvement or clarification of something by the making of small changes.\"
_C_orrects: \"a change that rectifies an error or inaccuracy.\"
C_l_oses | _F_ixes | Resol_v_es
_A_rchives | Rest_o_res | Re_f_iles
"
  ("E" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "(nhncs) ")))
  ("R" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "(rfns) ")))
  ("C" (lambda () (interactive) (insert "(crrcts) ")))
  ("l" (lambda () (interactive (insert "Closes #"))))
  ("F" (lambda () (interactive (insert "Fixes #"))))
  ("v" (lambda () (interactive (insert "Resolves #"))))
  ("A" (lambda () (interactive (insert "(rchvs) "))))
  ("o" (lambda () (interactive (insert "(rstrs) "))))
  ("f" (lambda () (interactive (insert "(rfls) "))))
  ("q" nil))

Commit message mode hook.

(defun help/commit-message-mode-hook-fn ()
"HELP Commit Message Mode Hook Function"
(key-chord-define-local "hh" #'help/hydra/commit-message/body))
(add-hook 'vc-git-log-edit-mode-hook #'help/commit-message-mode-hook-fn)
(add-hook 'git-commit-setup-hook #'help/commit-message-mode-hook-fn)