diff --git a/doc/contributing.texi b/doc/contributing.texi
index 1dd3ea8e1d..01f8aad9fb 100644
--- a/doc/contributing.texi
+++ b/doc/contributing.texi
@@ -193,6 +193,34 @@ facilities to directly operate on the syntax tree, such as raising an
 s-expression or wrapping it, swallowing or rejecting the following
 s-expression, etc.
 
+@cindex code snippets
+@cindex templates
+@cindex reducing boilerplate
+We also provide templates for common git commit messages and package
+definitions in the @file{etc/snippets} directory.  These templates can
+be used with @url{http://joaotavora.github.io/yasnippet/, YASnippet} to
+expand short trigger strings to interactive text snippets.  You may want
+to add the snippets directory to the @var{yas-snippet-dirs} variable in
+Emacs.
+
+@lisp
+;; @r{Assuming the Guix checkout is in ~/src/guix.}
+(with-eval-after-load 'yasnippet
+  (add-to-list 'yas-snippet-dirs "~/src/guix/etc/snippets"))
+@end lisp
+
+The commit message snippets depend on @url{https://magit.vc/, Magit} to
+display staged files.  When editing a commit message type @code{add}
+followed by @kbd{TAB} to insert a commit message template for adding a
+package; type @code{update} followed by @kbd{TAB} to insert a template
+for updating a package.
+
+The main snippet for @code{scheme-mode} is triggered by typing
+@code{package...} followed by @kbd{TAB}.  This snippet also inserts the
+trigger string @code{origin...}, which can be expanded further.  The
+@code{origin} snippet in turn may insert other trigger strings ending on
+@code{...}, which also can be expanded further.
+
 
 @node Coding Style
 @section Coding Style
diff --git a/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-cvs-reference b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-cvs-reference
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fbc5034b66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-cvs-reference
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# -*- mode: snippet -*-
+# name: guix-cvs-reference
+# key: cvs-reference...
+# --
+(cvs-reference
+  (root-directory "${1:root-directory}")
+  (module "${2:module}")
+  (revision "${3:revision}"))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-git-reference b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-git-reference
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..29ca6a9c54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-git-reference
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# -*- mode: snippet -*-
+# name: guix-git-reference
+# key: git-reference...
+# --
+(git-reference
+  (url "$1")
+  (commit ${2:commit}))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-hg-reference b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-hg-reference
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..95de16daae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-hg-reference
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# -*- mode: snippet -*-
+# name: guix-hg-reference
+# key: hg-reference...
+# --
+(hg-reference
+  (url "$1")
+  (changeset ${2:changeset}))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-origin b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-origin
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..68d47135db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-origin
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# -*- mode: snippet -*-
+# name: guix-origin
+# key: origin...
+# --
+(origin
+ (method ${1:$$(yas-choose-value "url-fetch"
+                                 "url-fetch/tarbomb"
+                                 "url-fetch/zipbomb"
+                                 "cvs-fetch"
+                                 "git-fetch"
+                                 "hg-fetch"
+                                 "svn-fetch")})
+ (uri ${1:$(cond ((equal yas-text "git-fetch") "git-reference...")
+                 ((equal yas-text "svn-fetch") "svn-reference...")
+                 ((equal yas-text "hg-fetch")  "hg-reference...")
+                 ((equal yas-text "cvs-fetch") "cvs-reference...")
+                 (t "(string-append \\"https://\\" version \\".tar.gz\\")"))}$0)
+ ${1:$(cond ((member yas-text '("git-fetch" "svn-fetch" "hg-fetch" "cvs-fetch"))
+             "(file-name (string-append name \\"-\\" version \\"-checkout\\"))")
+            (t ""))}
+ (sha256
+  (base32
+    "$2")))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-package b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-package
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d392e82093
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-package
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# -*- mode: snippet -*-
+# name: guix-package
+# key: package...
+# --
+(define-public $1
+  (package
+    (name "$1")
+    (version "$2")
+    (source origin...$0)
+    (build-system ${3:$$(yas-choose-value "ant-build-system"
+                                          "asdf-build-system"
+                                          "cargo-build-system"
+                                          "cmake-build-system"
+                                          "dub-build-system"
+                                          "emacs-build-system"
+                                          "font-build-system"
+                                          "glib-or-gtk-build-system"
+                                          "gnu-build-system"
+                                          "go-build-system"
+                                          "haskell-build-system"
+                                          "meson-build-system"
+                                          "minify-build-system"
+                                          "ocaml-build-system"
+                                          "perl-build-system"
+                                          "python-build-system"
+                                          "r-build-system"
+                                          "ruby-build-system"
+                                          "texlive-build-system"
+                                          "trivial-build-system"
+                                          "waf-build-system")})
+    (home-page "$4")
+    (synopsis "$5")
+    (description "$6")
+    (license $7)))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-svn-reference b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-svn-reference
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7d897dc690
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/snippets/scheme-mode/guix-svn-reference
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# -*- mode: snippet -*-
+# name: guix-svn-reference
+# key: svn-reference...
+# --
+(svn-reference
+  (url "$1")
+  (revision ${2:svn-revision}))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/etc/snippets/text-mode/guix-commit-message-add-package b/etc/snippets/text-mode/guix-commit-message-add-package
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1aebe8a763
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/snippets/text-mode/guix-commit-message-add-package
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# -*- mode: snippet -*-
+# name: guix-commit-message-add-package
+# key: add
+# condition: git-commit-mode
+# --
+gnu: Add $1.
+
+* `(car (magit-staged-files))` ($1): New variable.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/etc/snippets/text-mode/guix-commit-message-update-package b/etc/snippets/text-mode/guix-commit-message-update-package
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..79fcf7c6e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/snippets/text-mode/guix-commit-message-update-package
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# -*- mode: snippet -*-
+# name: guix-commit-message-update-package
+# key: update
+# condition: git-commit-mode
+# --
+gnu: $1: Update to $2.
+
+* `(car (magit-staged-files))` ($1): Update to $2.$0
+`(mapconcat (lambda (file) (concat "* " file)) (cdr (magit-staged-files)) "\n")`
\ No newline at end of file