How can developers use their preferred formatting without creating inconsistent commits?

It is possible to support two configurations—one for how code is displayed while editing and another for how it is written during commits. Some IDEs can reformat with a personal style while automatically applying the team style before committing, but that adds complexity. Enforcing one shared format is usually simpler and more reliable.

Pick one formatter configuration for the project and treat it as the source of truth. Run it through linting or a pre-commit hook, and ideally verify it in CI too. Developers can use whatever display or editor settings they prefer locally, but committed files should always use the shared project format.

A pre-commit hook is a practical way to prevent incorrectly formatted code from being committed. Make sure the hook invokes the formatter with the checked-in configuration rather than whatever local override an IDE happens to use. CI should still run the same check, since hooks can be skipped or not installed.

Large formatting-only diffs should generally be rejected or separated from functional changes. Agree on a neutral style, apply it consistently across the repository, and avoid allowing individual contributors to replace the project configuration with personal preferences.