Git Commit Assistant

A skill for helping with git commits and writing meaningful commit messages.

When to Use

Creating new commits
Writing commit messages
Staging files for commit
Reviewing changes before commit
Amending commits

Commit Workflow

Step 1: Review Changes

Before committing, understand what changed:

# Check what files were modified
git status

# Review the actual changes
git diff

# For staged changes
git diff --staged

Step 2: Stage Files

Stage files appropriately:

# Stage specific files
git add <file1> <file2>

# Stage all changes
git add -A

# Stage with patch (interactive)
git add -p

Step 3: Write Commit Message

Follow conventional commit format:

<type>(<scope>): <subject>

<body>

<footer>

Types

feat: New feature
fix: Bug fix
docs: Documentation changes
style: Code style changes (formatting, semicolons, etc.)
refactor: Code refactoring
perf: Performance improvements
test: Adding or fixing tests
chore: Build process or auxiliary tool changes

Subject Rules

Use imperative mood ("Add feature" not "Added feature")
Don't capitalize first letter
No period at the end
Keep under 50 characters

Body Rules

Explain WHAT and WHY, not HOW
Wrap at 72 characters
Use bullet points for multiple changes

Step 4: Create Commit

# Commit with message
git commit -m "feat: add user authentication"

# Commit with detailed message
git commit -m "feat(auth): implement JWT authentication" -m "- Add login endpoint" -m "- Configure JWT middleware"

Analyzing Changes for Commit Message

When examining git diff output:

Identify the type of change:
- New functionality → feat
- Bug fix → fix
- Documentation → docs
- Tests → test
- Refactoring → refactor
Determine the scope:
- What module/component is affected?
- Examples: auth, api, ui, db, tests
Write the subject:
- Start with a verb
- Be specific but concise
- Examples: "add user login", "fix null pointer", "update README"
Add body if needed:
- Multiple related changes
- Breaking changes
- Complex rationale

Examples

Simple Feature

feat: add email validation

Feature with Scope

feat(auth): implement password reset

- Add /api/auth/reset-password endpoint
- Send reset email via SendGrid
- Add token expiration (24 hours)

Bug Fix

fix(api): resolve null pointer in user controller

The user object was null when session expired.
Now returns 401 Unauthorized instead of 500.

Breaking Change

feat(api): change user response format

BREAKING CHANGE: User object now includes nested profile
instead of flat structure. Update client code accordingly.

Additional Resources

references/conventional-commits.md - Full conventional commits specification
scripts/generate-commit-msg.py - Generate commit message from diff

git-commit-assistant