# commit-helper

Drafts Git commit messages following the Conventional Commits specification. Triggers when you prepare, format, or review code commits.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 699 installs · ★ 84
- Author: zhaono1
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/zhaono1/agent-playbook/tree/HEAD/skills/commit-helper/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-09-15
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/commit-helper

## What it does

This skill inspects modifications through `git diff` to build structured commit notes. It enforces standard tags like `feat`, `fix`, `docs`, or `refactor`, paired with component scopes such as `auth`, `api`, or `store`. Subject lines stay within 50 characters in imperative mood, without trailing periods.

The workflow handles optional body descriptions wrapped at 72 characters, explaining why and what changed. Footers reference issue trackers like `Closes #123` and flag backward-incompatible updates with `BREAKING CHANGE:`. It relies on agent tools including `Bash`, `Read`, `Write`, `Edit`, and `Grep`.

Manual message verification requires Python on your machine, since the check logic runs through `python3 scripts/validate_commit.py`. An automated `session-logger` hook logs commit events once formatting finishes.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add zhaono1/agent-playbook --skill commit-helper -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/commit-helper/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/commit-helper/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add zhaono1/agent-playbook --skill commit-helper -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/commit-helper/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add zhaono1/agent-playbook --skill commit-helper -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/commit-helper/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install zhaono1/agent-playbook commit-helper
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/commit-helper/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add zhaono1/agent-playbook --skill commit-helper -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/zhaono1/agent-playbook --path skills/commit-helper
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/commit-helper/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add zhaono1/agent-playbook --skill commit-helper -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/zhaono1/agent-playbook/tree/HEAD/skills/commit-helper/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- generate commit messages using Conventional Commits
- inspect git diff to identify commit type and scope
- document breaking changes in commit footers
- link resolved issues with proper issue tracker tags

## Example prompts
- Commit the staged changes with a conventional commit message
- Write a commit message for the auth bugfix and close issue #456
- Draft a commit message for breaking API changes

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: f1c63ea43a804657.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE f1c63ea43a804657
````text
---
name: commit-helper
description: Helps write Git commit messages following the Conventional Commits specification. Use this skill when the user asks to commit changes, write commit messages, format commits, or mentions git commits.
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, Bash, Grep
metadata:
  hooks:
    after_complete:
      - trigger: session-logger
        mode: auto
        reason: "Log commit activity"
---

# Commit Message Helper

A skill for creating properly formatted Git commit messages following the [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/) specification.

## When This Skill Activates

This skill activates when you:
- Ask to commit changes
- Mention commit messages
- Request git commit formatting
- Say "commit" or "git commit"

## Commit Message Format

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

<body>

<footer>
```

## Types

| Type | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `feat` | A new feature |
| `fix` | A bug fix |
| `docs` | Documentation only changes |
| `style` | Changes that do not affect the meaning of the code (formatting, etc.) |
| `refactor` | A code change that neither fixes a bug nor adds a feature |
| `perf` | A code change that improves performance |
| `test` | Adding missing tests or correcting existing tests |
| `chore` | Changes to the build process or auxiliary tools |
| `ci` | Changes to CI configuration files and scripts |
| `build` | Changes that affect the build system or external dependencies |

## Scope

The scope should indicate the area of the codebase affected:
- For frontend: `components`, `hooks`, `store`, `styles`, `utils`
- For backend: `api`, `models`, `services`, `database`, `auth`
- For devops: `ci`, `deploy`, `docker`
- Project-specific scopes are also acceptable

## Guidelines

### Subject Line
- Use imperative mood ("add feature" not "added feature" or "adds feature")
- No period at the end
- Maximum 50 characters
- Be specific and concise

### Body
- Separate subject from body with a blank line
- Use the body to explain **what** and **why**, not **how**
- Wrap at 72 characters per line
- Mention any breaking changes

### Footer
- Reference issues: `Closes #123`, `Fixes #456`, `Refs #789`
- Multiple issues: `Closes #123, #456, #789`
- Breaking changes: Start with `BREAKING CHANGE:` followed by description

## Examples

### Good Examples

```
feat(auth): add OAuth2 login support

Implement OAuth2 authentication flow to allow users to log in
with their Google or GitHub accounts.

This change adds:
- New OAuth2 middleware for handling callbacks
- Updated login UI with social login buttons
- User profile synchronization

Closes #123
```

```
fix(api): resolve race condition in user creation

The concurrent user creation requests could result in duplicate
email entries. Added unique constraint and proper error handling.

Fixes #456
```

```
refactor(user): simplify profile update logic

Extracted common validation logic into a reusable function
to reduce code duplication across profile update endpoints.
```

```
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE f1c63ea43a804657

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First 3016 of 4676 bytes. © zhaono1 · MIT · https://github.com/zhaono1/agent-playbook/tree/HEAD/skills/commit-helper/SKILL.md

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---
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