git-commit

name	git-commit
description	Create a git commit with a clear, value-communicating message. Use when the user says "commit", "commit this", "save my changes", "create a commit", or wants to commit staged or unstaged work. Produces well-structured commit messages that follow repo conventions when they exist, and defaults to conventional commit format otherwise.

Git Commit

Create a single, well-crafted git commit from the current working tree changes.

Workflow

Step 1: Gather context

Run these commands to understand the current state.

git status
git diff HEAD
git branch --show-current
git log --oneline -10
git rev-parse --abbrev-ref origin/HEAD

The last command returns the remote default branch (e.g., origin/main). Strip the origin/ prefix to get the branch name. If the command fails or returns a bare HEAD, try:

gh repo view --json defaultBranchRef --jq '.defaultBranchRef.name'

If both fail, fall back to main.

If the git status result shows a clean working tree (no staged, modified, or untracked files), report that there is nothing to commit and stop.

If git branch --show-current returns empty, the repository is in detached HEAD state. Ask whether to create a feature branch now using #askQuestions. If the user agrees, derive the name from the change content and create it with git checkout -b <branch-name>. If the user declines, continue with the detached HEAD commit.

Step 2: Determine commit message convention

Follow this priority order:

1. Repo conventions already in context — If project instructions (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, or similar) are already loaded and specify commit message conventions, follow those.
2. Recent commit history — If no explicit convention is documented, examine the 10 most recent commits. If a clear pattern emerges (e.g., conventional commits, ticket prefixes, emoji prefixes), match it.
3. Default: conventional commits — type(scope): description where type is one of feat, fix, docs, refactor, test, chore, perf, ci, style, build.

Step 3: Consider logical commits

Before staging everything together, scan the changed files for naturally distinct concerns. If modified files clearly group into separate logical changes (e.g., a refactor in one directory and a new feature in another), create separate commits for each group.

Keep this lightweight:

• Group at the file level only — do not try to split hunks within a file.
• If the separation is obvious (different features, unrelated fixes), split. If ambiguous, one commit is fine.
• Two or three logical commits is the sweet spot. Do not over-slice.

Step 4: Stage and commit

Check if on the default branch (main, master, or resolved default). If so, warn the user and ask whether to continue or create a feature branch first using #askQuestions.

Stage relevant files by name. Prefer staging specific files over git add -A or git add . to avoid accidentally including sensitive files (.env, credentials) or unrelated changes.

Write the commit message:

• Subject line: Concise, imperative mood, focused on why not what. Follow the convention from Step 2.
• Body (when needed): Add a body separated by a blank line for non-trivial changes. Explain motivation, trade-offs, or anything a future reader would need. Omit for obvious single-purpose changes.

Use a heredoc to preserve formatting:

git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
type(scope): subject line here

Optional body explaining why this change was made,
not just what changed.
EOF
)"

Step 5: Confirm

Run git status after the commit to verify success. Report the commit hash(es) and subject line(s).