SVG Optimization with a Pre-Commit Hook

A pre-commit hook running SVGO on staged files catches unoptimized SVG icons before they're even committed to the repository.

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Setting Up an SVG-Aware Pre-Commit Hook

Using a tool like husky combined with lint-staged, a pre-commit hook can be configured to run SVGO specifically against any staged SVG files whenever a commit is created, automatically optimizing them (or blocking the commit if optimization isn't applied) before the unoptimized version ever enters the repository's history.

husky and lint-staged together scope the hook to only staged SVG files
Automatically optimizes files or blocks the commit until they are
Prevents unoptimized SVGs from ever entering the repository's commit history

Why a Pre-Commit Hook Complements a CI Check

While a CI workflow catches unoptimized SVGs at the pull request stage, a pre-commit hook catches the same issue even earlier, locally, before a contributor even pushes their branch, giving faster feedback and avoiding the wasted round trip of pushing, waiting for CI, and then fixing the issue after the fact.

Catches unoptimized SVGs locally, before a branch is even pushed
Provides faster feedback than waiting for a CI workflow to run
Complements rather than replaces a CI-level check for defense in depth

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a pre-commit hook slow down every commit noticeably?

Scoping the hook to only staged SVG files via lint-staged keeps it fast, since it only processes files actually being committed rather than re-scanning the entire repository on every commit.

Can I bypass a pre-commit hook if I need to commit an intentionally unoptimized SVG?

Yes, Git's --no-verify flag skips pre-commit hooks, though this should be used sparingly and deliberately rather than as a routine workaround for the check.

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