reword

Change a commit’s message, or rename a branch.

Alias: rw

Usage

git loom reword <target> [-m <message>] [-- <git args>...]

Arguments

Argument	Description
`<target>`	A commit (short ID or hash) or a branch (name or short ID)

Options

Option	Description
`-m, --message <message>`	The new message or branch name. Without it, your editor opens for a commit, a prompt for a branch.

Git Options

For a commit, arguments after -- go to the git commit --amend that rewrites it, unchecked — expert mode, see Passing Options to Git:

git loom reword pop -- --reset-author

Replaces the message and replays the commits above it. Content and branches are unchanged, and so is the short ID of a commit loom created. On an integration branch, any commit loom status shows can be reworded; outside one, any commit in HEAD’s history with no merge between it and HEAD, the root included. A merge commit cannot be reworded.

Branch

Renames the branch. A name starting with the hidden prefix prints a warning, since the branch disappears from git loom status.

Target Resolution

Branch names: rename the branch
Git revisions: hashes, HEAD, … reword the commit
Short IDs: a branch ID renames, a commit ID rewords

To reword the commit at a branch tip, name the commit, not the branch.

Examples

Reword a commit

git loom reword pop -m "Fix authentication bug in login flow"
# ✓ Updated commit message for `pop` (was: ab12cd3, now: e45f678)

Rename a branch

git loom reword fa -m feature-authentication
# ✓ Renamed branch `feature-auth` to `feature-authentication`

Commits Already Upstream

If upstream already has everything the commit changes, loom refuses rather than rewrite something else:

git loom reword pop
# ✗ Commit `4783c1b` is redundant — the history below it already has its change
#   › Nothing was rewritten. Run `loom update` if it landed upstream, or `loom drop 4783c1b -y` to remove it now

Conflicts

Rewording replays the merges above the commit. A merge whose conflicts you resolved by hand conflicts again, and the reword pauses:

git loom reword pop -m "Fix authentication bug"
# ! Conflicts detected — resolve them with git, then run:
#   › loom continue   to complete the reword
#   › loom abort      to cancel and restore original state

git add shared.rs && git loom continue
# ✓ Updated commit message for `pop` (was: ab12cd3, now: e45f678)

With git’s rerere enabled, your recorded resolution is replayed for you: stage it and continue. With rerere.autoUpdate too, the reword carries on by itself. See continue and abort.

git-loom