# Work Unit Commits

Plan commits as reviewable work units.

- Repository: https://github.com/Gentleman-Programming/gentle-ai (8170 stars)
- Category: Testing
- License: Apache-2.0
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add Gentleman-Programming/gentle-ai --skill work-unit-commits -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add Gentleman-Programming/gentle-ai --skill work-unit-commits -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add Gentleman-Programming/gentle-ai --skill work-unit-commits -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add Gentleman-Programming/gentle-ai --skill work-unit-commits -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Plan commits as reviewable work units. Trigger: implementation, commit splitting, chained PRs, or keeping tests and docs with code.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

## When to Use

Load this skill when deciding what belongs in each commit or PR.

Use it for:

- Splitting a feature into reviewable work.
- Preparing commits before opening a PR.
- Turning a large change into chained or stacked PRs.
- Keeping reviewer cognitive load healthy.
- Committing ODD work units in reviewable slices.

## Critical Rules

| Rule | Requirement |
|------|-------------|
| Commit by work unit | A commit represents a deliverable behavior, fix, migration, or docs unit. |
| Do not commit by file type | Avoid `models`, then `services`, then `tests` if none works alone. |
| Keep tests with code | Tests belong in the same commit as the behavior they verify. |
| Keep docs with the user-visible change | Docs belong with the feature or workflow they explain. |
| Tell a story | A reviewer should understand why each commit exists from its diff and message. |
| Future PR-ready | Each commit should be a candidate chained PR when the change grows. |
| Budget is not code-golf | Never shrink a diff by deleting comments, blank lines, docs, or tests, or by compressing code, to fit the review budget (400 by default, or the session `review_budget_lines`). Slice by work unit or report the overage. |

## Work Unit Checklist

Before committing, confirm:

- [ ] The commit has one clear purpose.
- [ ] The repo still makes sense after applying only this commit.
- [ ] Tests or docs for this unit are included when relevant.
- [ ] Rollback is reasonable without reverting unrelated work.
- [ ] Focused test command and exact result are recorded.
- [ ] Runtime harness command/scenario and exact result are recorded, or explicit `N/A` explains why no runtime boundary exists.
- [ ] Rollback boundary names the exact files/behavior removable without unrelated work.
- [ ] The commit message explains the outcome, not the file list.

## Split Examples

The rest: https://github.com/Gentleman-Programming/gentle-ai/blob/HEAD/internal/assets/skills/work-unit-commits/SKILL.md