GitHub & smart commits

Connect GitHub and your commits link to tasks. With smart commits your board updates itself: write a directive in the commit message and the task closes or time gets logged.

Getting connected

  1. 1

    Connect GitHub

    In the app: Settings → GitHub → “Connect GitHub”. Install the app on the account or organization you want and pick repositories. No tokens to paste — access is short-lived and scoped.

  2. 2

    Attach a repo to a project

    Open a project → Overview tab → “Add from GitHub” and pick a repository from the list. Private repos work out of the box.

  3. 3

    Import and auto-sync

    Hit “Import commits” to pull recent ones. After that, commits arrive automatically on every push (via a webhook).

How smart commits work

Mention a task key (e.g. WAVE-12) in the commit message. A bare key links the commit to the task. Add a verb or #time and an action fires.

Close a task

closes WAVE-12Complete task 12 and move it to the last column
fixes WAVE-12Same — fix/fixes/fixed also work
resolved WAVE-12Same — resolve/resolves/resolved
fixes WAVE-5, closes WAVE-7Several tasks in one message

Log time

WAVE-12 #time 2hLog 2 hours on task 12
WAVE-12 #time 90m90 minutes
WAVE-12 #time 1:301 hour 30 minutes
WAVE-12 #time 1.5h1.5 hours

Example

git commit -m "Fix the login flow

WAVE-12 #time 45m; closes WAVE-12"

After the push, WAVE-12 is closed, moved to the last column, and gets 45 minutes — attributed to the commit author.

Rules & caveats

  • Attributed to the author. Actions run as the member whose email matches the commit author's. No match → the commit still links, but the action is skipped.
  • Once per commit. Actions apply only to new commits, and only to those authored after the repo was connected — importing old history never retroactively closes or logs anything.
  • The syntax triggers anywhere in the message. Any message containing a directive — even one describing it — will fire. Don't put example directives in real commit messages.
  • Time formats. 2h, 90m, 1:30, 1.5h.
Using an AI assistant? It can manage tasks and the tracker too — see MCP. The assistant learns smart commits via the guide tool and MCP hints.