Git Commit Message
Generate conventional commit messages for Git version control in under 30 seconds with proper type, scope, and semantic versioning format
Overview
Generate conventional commit messages that follow semantic versioning standards and integrate with automated changelog tools. Creates properly formatted messages with type, scope, description, detailed body, and issue references in under 30 seconds.
Template
Write a commit message for:
Type: {{type}}
Scope: {{scope}}
Changes made:
{{changes}}
Why these changes: {{why}}
Breaking changes: {{breaking}}
Format: Conventional Commits
Include:
- Type and scope
- Short description
- Detailed body
- Footer with issue references
Properties
- type: Single Selection (default:
feat)- Options: feat, fix, docs, style, refactor, perf, test, chore
- scope (optional): Single-line Text
- changes: Multi-line Text
- why: Multi-line Text
- breaking (optional): Single Selection (default:
No)- Options: No, Yes
Use Cases
- Write consistent commit messages during rapid feature development sprints
- Document bug fixes with proper semantic versioning for automated changelogs
- Create standardized commit history for open-source projects with multiple contributors
- Generate release notes automatically from conventional commit types (feat, fix, perf)
- Maintain clean Git history for CI/CD pipelines that parse commit messages
- Document refactoring work with clear scope and rationale for code reviews
- Track breaking changes explicitly for major version bumps in semantic versioning
Benefits
Save 5+ minutes per commit by skipping the mental overhead of formatting and structure decisions.
Enable automatic changelog generation with tools like standard-version and semantic-release that parse conventional commits.
Improve team communication through consistent message format that every developer can understand at a glance.
Simplify code reviews when reviewers can quickly scan commit types (feat, fix, refactor) instead of reading full descriptions.
Reduce git history confusion by documenting both what changed and why it changed in a standard format.
Support CI/CD automation that triggers different workflows based on commit type (deploy on feat, skip on docs).
Example Output
Using this template with the following inputs:
- Type:
feat - Scope:
auth - Changes:
Added OAuth 2.0 authentication support for GitHub and Google providers with token refresh handling - Why:
Users requested social login to reduce signup friction and improve conversion rates from 12% to target of 25% - Breaking:
No
Generates:
feat(auth): add OAuth 2.0 social login for GitHub and Google
Implement OAuth 2.0 authentication flow supporting GitHub and Google
identity providers. Includes automatic token refresh handling to maintain
user sessions without re-authentication.
This change reduces signup friction by allowing users to authenticate with
existing social accounts rather than creating new credentials, targeting
conversion rate improvement from 12% to 25%.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using vague commit types - “chore: updates” tells reviewers nothing. Use specific types like fix, feat, or refactor with clear scope.
Writing commit messages in past tense - Conventional commits use imperative mood (“add feature” not “added feature”). This matches Git’s own generated messages.
Skipping the scope - feat: new login is less useful than feat(auth): add OAuth login. Scope provides instant context about what part of the codebase changed.
Missing the why - Describing what changed without explaining why forces future developers to reconstruct your reasoning. The body should answer “why was this necessary?”
Treating all changes as features - Not everything is a feat. Bug fixes are fix, performance improvements are perf, and documentation updates are docs. Correct types enable automation.
Forgetting to mark breaking changes - If your change breaks backward compatibility, mark it explicitly. Tools rely on this for major version bumps.
Writing novels in the subject line - Keep the first line under 72 characters. Details go in the body.
Frequently Used With
- Code Review - Review code changes before committing
- Bug Report - Document bugs before writing fix commits
- Refactoring Plan - Plan refactoring work before creating refactor commits
- API Documentation - Update API docs alongside feature commits