It populates it with a template or existing comments (lines starting with # ). It opens your configured core editor .
For many beginners, the first encounter with COMMIT_EDITMSG is an accidental trip into Vim. To save your message and exit, type :wq . To abort, type :q! . COMMIT-EDITMSG
While .git/COMMIT_EDITMSG is a transient file that disappears or gets overwritten with every new commit, it is the canvas upon which project legacy is written. Mastering how to use it—and the editors that open it—is a rite of passage for every professional developer. It populates it with a template or existing
If you close the COMMIT_EDITMSG file without adding any text (or if you delete the existing text), Git will abort the commit, assuming you changed your mind [5.5]. To save your message and exit, type :wq
You can actually influence what appears in COMMIT_EDITMSG before you even start typing.