commit
Analyze staged changes and create a well-crafted conventional commit. Handles unstaged files, pre-commit hook failures, and multi-file changes. Use when ready to commit, or when you want help writing a good commit message. Keywords: commit, git commit, stage, conventional commit, commit message
Install
npx skillscat add wcygan/dotfiles/commit Install via the SkillsCat registry.
Smart Commit
Analyze staged (and optionally unstaged) changes, generate a conventional commit message, and commit atomically.
Workflow
1. Assess Working State
git status
git diff --staged --stat
git diff --statDetermine:
- Staged changes: ready to commit
- Unstaged changes: ask user if they should be included
- Untracked files: flag any that look like they should be tracked
If nothing is staged and there are unstaged changes, ask the user which files to stage before proceeding.
2. Analyze the Diff
git diff --stagedRead the full staged diff. Understand:
- What files changed and why
- Whether this is a single logical change (good) or multiple concerns (suggest splitting)
- Whether any files look like they shouldn't be committed (
.env, credentials, large binaries, lock files that weren't intentionally updated)
3. Generate Commit Message
Use conventional commit format:
<type>(<scope>): <subject>
<body>Type selection:
| Type | When |
|---|---|
feat |
New feature or capability |
fix |
Bug fix |
refactor |
Code change that neither fixes a bug nor adds a feature |
test |
Adding or updating tests |
docs |
Documentation only |
chore |
Build process, tooling, dependencies |
perf |
Performance improvement |
style |
Formatting, missing semicolons, etc. |
ci |
CI/CD configuration |
Rules:
- Subject line: imperative mood, no period, under 72 chars
- Scope: the module/component affected (optional but preferred)
- Body: explain why, not what (the diff shows what)
- If
$ARGUMENTSis provided, use it as the subject line instead of generating one
4. Confirm and Commit
Present the proposed commit message to the user. If they approve:
git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
type(scope): subject line here
Body explaining why this change was made.
EOF
)"5. Handle Pre-Commit Hook Failures
If the commit fails due to a pre-commit hook:
- Read the hook output to understand what failed
- Fix the issue (formatting, linting, etc.)
- Re-stage the fixed files:
git add <fixed-files> - Create a NEW commit (never
--amend— the previous commit didn't happen) - Repeat until the commit succeeds
6. Post-Commit Verification
git status
git log --oneline -1Confirm the commit was created and working tree is in expected state.
Split Detection
If the staged changes contain multiple unrelated concerns, suggest splitting:
I notice the staged changes include both a bug fix in auth.ts and a
refactor in utils.ts. Consider committing these separately:
1. git reset HEAD utils.ts → commit the fix first
2. git add utils.ts → commit the refactor secondQuick Mode
If $ARGUMENTS is provided, use it as the commit message subject and skip the interactive confirmation:
/commit fix login redirect on expired sessionsBecomes: fix: fix login redirect on expired sessions
Install
npx skillscat add wcygan/dotfiles/commit Install via the SkillsCat registry.