Pre-commit tests were done commonly at Microsoft as early as 2001 by a system named Gauntlet, see http://blogs.msdn.com/misampso/archive/2005/03/14/395374.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/vcblog/archive/2006/11/02/gauntlet-a-peek-into-visual-c-development-practices.aspx Well, better late than never!