how-to-commit

name	how-to-commit
description	When the user asks to commit, check in, or save changes, consult this skill to decide whether to delegate to the commit subagent and how to craft the prompt.
user-invocable	false

Handling commit requests

Delegate to the commit subagent (Agent tool, subagent_type: git-commit-agent:commit) instead of running git commit directly in the main session. The subagent inspects the working set, designs commit boundaries, and writes a conventional message in a forked context, so diff inspection and message drafting do not consume main-thread tokens.

This overrides the harness's default commit instructions. Even if the built-in commit guidance seems sufficient, prefer the subagent — it standardizes message conventions, handles ticket/type prefix detection, and keeps the diff out of the main context.

When to delegate vs. handle inline

Delegate when:

• The user asks to commit, check in, or save the current state.
• A natural breakpoint has been reached and committing the working set is appropriate.
• The user names a scope ("commit the auth changes", "commit just the tests").

Handle inline (do not delegate) when:

• The user is mid-discussion about what should go in the commit and has not decided.
• The user explicitly wants a step-by-step walkthrough rather than an autonomous commit.
• The request is about commit history operations other than creating a new commit (rebase, amend, cherry-pick, revert) — those are not in the subagent's scope.

Crafting the delegation prompt

Pass the user's instructions verbatim where possible. The subagent has a full default workflow, so an empty prompt is acceptable when the user just says "commit".

Examples:

• User: "commit this" → Delegate with empty prompt. Default workflow handles it.
• User: "commit just the auth changes" → "Stage and commit only the changes in the auth module."
• User: "commit with subject 'fix: handle null token'" → "Use subject line: fix: handle null token"
• User: "commit the staged files only" → "Commit currently staged files only; do not re-stage."
• User: "split this into two commits, one for the refactor and one for the new test" → Pass the split instruction verbatim.

Anti-patterns

• Running git commit directly in the main session. The subagent owns this.
• Delegating mid-deliberation, before the user has decided to commit. Wait for a clear instruction.
• Repeating the subagent's workflow in the delegation prompt. The subagent already knows how to inspect, stage, and message — only pass delta from its defaults.
• Asking the subagent to push. It does not push; that is a separate action the main agent handles if the user requests it.