As you navigate through Git PRs, you may come across a plethora of abbreviations and shorthand terminology that can leave you feeling puzzled.
Git is like the secret language of developers, with its own set of abbreviations and shorthand terms. Rest assured that you are not alone in this predicament. Git abbreviations are commonly used across the developer community, but not all are familiar with their meanings. To provide some clarity, I have compiled a comprehensive list of these abbreviations and their corresponding definitions.
Below is an organized list of Git abbreviations and shorthand terms. Some of them are widely known and used, while others may not be as familiar.
- LGTM: "Looks Good To Me.” This is used to indicate that a change or code review has been approved.
- Nit: A small suggestion for improvement or nitpicking in the code.
- WIP: "Work in Progress.” This is used to indicate that a change or PR is still in progress and not yet ready for review.
- ACK: "Acknowledged". This is used to indicate that a comment or request has been seen and acknowledged.
- RFC: "Request for Comments.” This is used to indicate that feedback or suggestions are requested on a particular change or code.
- FYI: "For Your Information.” This is used to indicate that a comment or piece of information is provided for the reviewer's awareness.
- TIL: "Today I Learned.” This is used to share a new or interesting piece of information with the team.
- Bug: used to indicate that a bug has been identified and needs to be fixed.
- IMP: Used to indicate that an improvement is suggested for the code or change.
- FEAT: Used to indicate that a new feature is added to the code or a change is made.
- PTAL: "Please Take A Look.” This is used to request that someone review a particular change or code.
- RTM: "Read the Manual.” This is used to indicate that the answer to a question or issue can be found in the documentation or manual.
- ETA: "Estimated Time of Arrival.” This is used to provide an estimate of when a particular task or change will be completed.
- TBD: "To Be Determined.” This is used to indicate that a decision or plan has not yet been finalized.
- N/A: "Not Applicable.” This is used to indicate that a particular comment or request does not apply to the situation or code.
- IIRC: "If I remember correctly.” This is used to indicate that a statement or piece of information is based on the person's recollection and may not be entirely accurate.
- TMI: "Too Much Information.” This is used to indicate that a comment or piece of information is not necessary or relevant.
- AFAIK: "As Far As I Know.” This is used to indicate that a statement or piece of information is based on the person's knowledge but may not be definitive.
- FYA: "For Your Action.” This is used to indicate that a particular comment or request requires action from the reviewer.
- POV: "Point of View.” This is used to indicate that a comment or suggestion is based on the person's perspective or opinion.
- LMK: "Let Me Know.” This is used to request that the reviewer provide feedback or information on a particular topic.
- TIA: "Thanks in Advance.” This is used to express gratitude in advance of a particular action or response.
- IMO/IMHO: "In My Opinion" or "In My Humble Opinion.” These are used to indicate that a comment or suggestion is the personal opinion of the reviewer.
- EOD: "End of Discussion.” This is used to indicate that a decision or discussion has been finalized and should not be further debated.
- BTW: "By the Way.” This is used to introduce a new or additional topic or point of discussion.
- OT: "Off-Topic". This is used to indicate that a comment or discussion is not related to the current topic or code.
- NACK: "Negative Acknowledgment.” This is used to indicate that a particular change or suggestion has been rejected.
- +1: This is used to indicate agreement or approval of a particular comment or suggestion.
- -1: This is used to indicate disagreement or disapproval of a particular comment or suggestion.
- GTD: "Getting Things Done.” This is used to indicate that a task or project is being actively worked on or completed.
- JFYI: "Just for Your Information.” This is used to indicate that a comment or piece of information is being provided for the reviewer's awareness but does not require action.
- AOB: "Any Other Business.” This is used to indicate that additional topics or issues can be discussed.
- ASAP: "As Soon As Possible.” This is used to indicate that a particular task or change is urgent and needs to be completed quickly.
- NFW: "No F***ing Way.” This is used to indicate strong disagreement or disapproval of a particular suggestion or change.
- OOTO: "Out of the Office.” This is used to indicate that the reviewer is not available or not actively working on the code or project.
- PEBKAC: "Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair.” This is a way to show that a certain problem or bug is the result of a mistake or error made by the user.
- TLDR: "Too Long; Didn't Read.” This is used to indicate that a comment or piece of information is too lengthy or detailed to read in full.
- STFW: "Search the F***ing Web.” This is used to indicate that a particular question or issue can be resolved by doing a web search.
- YMMV: "Your Mileage May Vary.” This is used to indicate that a particular suggestion or solution may work differently for different situations or codes.
With practice, you too can become fluent in Git-speak and impress all your coding buddies with your knowledge of LGTMs and PTALs. Just remember, if all else fails, you can always fall back on the classic Git abbreviation: WTF! (What the fork?!)