Git Commit Formatter

When to Use

Activate this skill when:

• User requests to "commit" changes
• User asks to "create a commit message"
• User says "stage and commit"
• User mentions "git commit" or "commit with message"
• User wants to follow commit message standards
• User needs a properly formatted commit signature

Instructions

Step 1: Gather Context

1. Run git status to see all untracked and modified files
2. Run git diff to see unstaged changes
3. Run git diff --staged to see already staged changes
4. Run git log --oneline -5 to see recent commit message style

Step 2: Analyze Changes

1. Review all changes comprehensively
2. Identify the type of change:
   • feat: - New feature
   • fix: - Bug fix
   • docs: - Documentation only
   • style: - Code style/formatting
   • refactor: - Code refactoring
   • test: - Adding/updating tests
   • chore: - Build process, dependencies
   • perf: - Performance improvement

Step 3: Draft Commit Message

Format:

<type>: <short summary>

<detailed explanation if needed>

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>

Step 4: Stage and Commit

1. Stage relevant files: git add <files>
2. Commit with message using heredoc:

git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
feat: add user authentication

Implement OAuth 2.0 flow with Google provider
- Add login/logout buttons
- Store user session in Firebase
- Protect authenticated routes

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
EOF
)"

3. Run git status to verify

Step 5: Handle Pre-commit Hooks

If commit fails due to pre-commit hook changes:

1. Check authorship: git log -1 --format='%an %ae'
2. Check not pushed: git status shows "Your branch is ahead"
3. If both true: amend the commit
4. Otherwise: create NEW commit

Examples

Example 1: Feature Addition

# Context: Added new search functionality
git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
feat: implement search functionality

Add full-text search across posts and comments
- Integrate Algolia search API
- Add search bar to navigation
- Display results with highlighting

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
EOF
)"

Example 2: Bug Fix

# Context: Fixed authentication redirect
git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
fix: resolve authentication redirect loop

Prevent infinite redirect when session expires
- Check token validity before redirect
- Clear stale session data
- Add error boundary

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
EOF
)"

Example 3: Documentation

# Context: Updated README
git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
docs: update installation instructions

Add troubleshooting section and environment setup guide

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
EOF
)"

Best Practices

✅ DO:

• Always check git status and git diff first
• Use conventional commit format (type: description)
• Focus on "why" rather than "what" in detailed explanation
• Include Claude Code signature
• Use heredoc for multi-line messages
• Ask before committing if unclear about changes
• Keep first line under 72 characters
• Verify commit with git status after

❌ DON'T:

• Never commit without reviewing changes first
• Never commit files with secrets (.env, credentials.json)
• Never use git commit --amend unless fixing pre-commit hook changes
• Never commit unless explicitly requested by user
• Don't use vague messages like "update files" or "fix stuff"
• Don't commit generated files (node_modules, dist, build)

Conventional Commit Types:

• feat: New feature for user
• fix: Bug fix
• docs: Documentation changes
• style: Formatting, missing semicolons (no code change)
• refactor: Code restructuring (no behavior change)
• perf: Performance improvement
• test: Adding/updating tests
• build: Build system changes
• ci: CI/CD changes
• chore: Maintenance tasks, dependencies

Commit Message Guidelines:

1. First line: Imperative mood ("add" not "added")
2. First line: No period at end
3. Body: Wrap at 72 characters
4. Body: Explain what and why, not how
5. Always include Claude signature block

Safety Checks

Before committing:

• No sensitive data (API keys, passwords, tokens)
• No large binary files
• No node_modules or dist folders
• Changes align with commit message
• User explicitly requested commit
• Pre-commit hooks passed (or handled)

Troubleshooting

Issue: Pre-commit hook modified files Solution: Check authorship and amend if safe, otherwise create new commit

Issue: Large diff, unclear what to commit Solution: Ask user which changes to include

Issue: Multiple unrelated changes Solution: Suggest separate commits for different concerns

Issue: Unclear commit type Solution: Default to chore: or ask user for clarification