conventional-changelog · escapedcat · Mar 13, 2026 · Mar 12, 2026
diff --git a/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionHeader.test.ts b/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionHeader.test.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,13 @@ import { setRules } from "./store/rules.js";
 
 beforeEach(() => {
 	setRules({});
-	setPromptConfig({});
+	setPromptConfig({
+		settings: {
+			scopeEnumSeparator: ",",
+			enableMultipleScopes: false,
+			useExclamationMark: false,
+		},
+	});
 });
 describe("getQuestions", () => {
 	test("should contain 'type','scope','subject'", () => {
@@ -120,6 +126,88 @@ describe("combineCommitMessage", () => {
 		});
 		expect(commitMessage).toBe("build(typescript)");
 	});
+	test("should add ! after type when isBreaking and useExclamationMark is enabled", () => {
+		setPromptConfig({
+			settings: {
+				useExclamationMark: true,
+			},
+		});
+		const commitMessage = combineCommitMessage({
+			type: "feat",
+			subject: "add new api",
+			isBreaking: true,
+		});
+		expect(commitMessage).toBe("feat!: add new api");
+	});
+
+	test("should add ! after scope when isBreaking and useExclamationMark is enabled", () => {
+		setPromptConfig({
+			settings: {
+				useExclamationMark: true,
+			},
+		});
+		const commitMessage = combineCommitMessage({
+			type: "feat",
+			scope: "api",
+			subject: "add new endpoint",
+			isBreaking: true,
+		});
+		expect(commitMessage).toBe("feat(api)!: add new endpoint");
+	});
+
+	test("should not add ! when isBreaking but useExclamationMark is disabled (default)", () => {
+		setPromptConfig({
+			settings: {
+				useExclamationMark: false,
+			},
+		});
+		const commitMessage = combineCommitMessage({
+			type: "feat",
+			subject: "add new api",
+			isBreaking: true,
+		});
+		expect(commitMessage).toBe("feat: add new api");
+	});
+
+	test("should not add ! when useExclamationMark is enabled but not breaking", () => {
+		setPromptConfig({
+			settings: {
+				useExclamationMark: true,
+			},
+		});
+		const commitMessage = combineCommitMessage({
+			type: "feat",
+			subject: "add new api",
+		});
+		expect(commitMessage).toBe("feat: add new api");
+	});
+
+	test("should add ! without subject when isBreaking and useExclamationMark is enabled", () => {
+		setPromptConfig({
+			settings: {
+				useExclamationMark: true,
+			},
+		});
+		const commitMessage = combineCommitMessage({
+			type: "feat",
+			scope: "api",
+			isBreaking: true,
+		});
+		expect(commitMessage).toBe("feat(api)!");
+	});
+
+	test("should not add ! when type and scope are both empty", () => {
+		setPromptConfig({
+			settings: {
+				useExclamationMark: true,
+			},
+		});
+		const commitMessage = combineCommitMessage({
+			isBreaking: true,
+			subject: "drop support",
+		});
+		expect(commitMessage).toBe("drop support");
+	});
 });
 
 describe("HeaderQuestion", () => {
@@ -153,4 +241,45 @@ describe("HeaderQuestion", () => {
 			"subject: subject over limit 6",
 		);
 	});
+
+	test("should reserve 1 char for '!' when useExclamationMark is enabled", () => {
+		const headerMaxLength = 20;
+		const type = "refactor";
+		const scope = "config";
+		// "refactor(config)" = 16 chars
+		const charsUsed = `${type}(${scope})`.length; // 16
+		const charsAvailable = headerMaxLength - charsUsed - 1; // -1 for '!'
+		setRules({
+			"header-max-length": [
+				RuleConfigSeverity.Error,
+				"always",
+				headerMaxLength,
+			],
+			"subject-max-length": [RuleConfigSeverity.Error, "always", 10],
+		});
+		setPromptConfig({
+			settings: {
+				useExclamationMark: true,
+			},
+			messages: {
+				skip: "(press enter to skip)",
+				max: "upper %d chars",
+				min: "%d chars at least",
+				emptyWarning: "%s can not be empty",
+				upperLimitWarning: "%s: %s over limit %d",
+				lowerLimitWarning: "%s: %s below limit %d",
+			},
+		});
+		const questions = getQuestions();
+		const answers = { type, scope };
+		const subject = questions[2];
+		(subject.message as any)(answers);
+
+		expect("fix".length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(charsAvailable);
+		expect(subject?.validate?.("fix", answers)).toBe(true);
+		expect("test".length).toBeGreaterThan(charsAvailable);
+		expect(subject?.validate?.("test", answers)).toBe(
+			"subject: subject over limit 1",
+		);
+	});
 });
diff --git a/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionHeader.ts b/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/SectionHeader.ts
@@ -21,14 +21,22 @@ export class HeaderQuestion extends Question {
 	beforeQuestionStart(answers: Answers): void {
 		const headerRemainLength =
 			this.headerMaxLength - combineCommitMessage(answers).length;
-		this.maxLength = Math.min(this.maxLength, headerRemainLength);
+		// Reserve 1 char for '!' when useExclamationMark is enabled.
+		const reservedLength = getPromptSettings()["useExclamationMark"] ? 1 : 0;
+		const remainingLength = Math.max(0, headerRemainLength - reservedLength);
+		this.maxLength = Math.min(this.maxLength, remainingLength);
 		this.minLength = Math.min(this.minLength, this.headerMinLength);
 	}
 }
 
 export function combineCommitMessage(answers: Answers): string {
-	const { type = "", scope = "", subject = "" } = answers;
-	const prefix = `${type}${scope ? `(${scope})` : ""}`;
+	const { type = "", scope = "", subject = "", isBreaking } = answers;
+	const hasPrefix = Boolean(type || scope);
+	const breakingMark =
+		hasPrefix && isBreaking && getPromptSettings()["useExclamationMark"]
+			? "!"
+			: "";
+	const prefix = `${type}${scope ? `(${scope})` : ""}${breakingMark}`;
 
 	if (subject) {
 		return ((prefix ? prefix + ": " : "") + subject).trim();

diff --git a/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/store/defaultPromptConfigs.ts b/@commitlint/cz-commitlint/src/store/defaultPromptConfigs.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ export default {
 	settings: {
 		scopeEnumSeparator: ",",
 		enableMultipleScopes: false,
+		useExclamationMark: false,
 	},
 	messages: {
 		skip: "(press enter to skip)",

diff --git a/@commitlint/types/src/prompt.ts b/@commitlint/types/src/prompt.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ export type PromptConfig = {
 	settings: {
 		scopeEnumSeparator: string;
 		enableMultipleScopes: boolean;
+		useExclamationMark: boolean;
 	};
 	messages: PromptMessages;
 	questions: Partial<

diff --git a/docs/reference/prompt.md b/docs/reference/prompt.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Set optional options.
 
 - `enableMultipleScopes`: `(boolean)` Enable multiple scopes, select scope with a radio list, disabled by default.
 - `scopeEnumSeparator`: `(string)` Commitlint supports [multiple scopes](/concepts/commit-conventions#multiple-scopes), you can specify the delimiter. It is applied when `enableMultipleScopes` set true.
+- `useExclamationMark`: `(boolean)` Append `!` after the type/scope in the commit header when a breaking change is indicated, disabled by default.
 
 ## `messages`