commit-rewriter 0.1

The 0.1 release of commit‑rewriter has been published. This lightweight web app, created by Simon Willison, streamlines the correction of Git commit messages. The idea came from a need to clean up commit messages linked to security releases of Datasette, which contained internal references and code‑agent‑generated text that made them unsuitable for public release.

The tool is launched with uvx commit-rewriter path/to/repo; if the user is already inside the project directory, the path can be omitted. On startup it presents an interface that lets users browse commits, search by message, author, or hash, and filter to show only edited ones. Each commit appears on a card with its hash, author, timestamp, and an editable text area for the message.

After edits are confirmed, the program creates a temporary timestamped branch reflecting the repository’s current state, allowing a rollback if needed. It then rewrites all commits from the first edited one to the most recent.

This utility is valuable because it simplifies maintaining a clear, professional commit history—critical for code audit and transparency in open‑source projects. Automating the process also reduces the risk of human error that comes with manual editing of each commit.

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