How do I use AI to write better git commit messages?

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## What makes a good commit message A useful commit message answers *why* a change was made, not just what changed. The diff already shows what changed — the message should add context a reviewer cannot infer from the code alone. The standard conventions: - **Imperative mood**: "Add retry logic" not "Added retry logic" - **Subject line under 72 characters** - **Conventional Commit prefix**: `feat:`, `fix:`, `docs:`, `chore:`, `refactor:`, etc. A Conventional Commit looks like this: ``` feat(auth): add OAuth2 token refresh on expiry Previously the app returned a 401 after the access token expired. Now it silently refreshes using the stored refresh token and retries the original request. ``` ## Tools that generate commit messages automatically ### GitHub Copilot Copilot has built-in commit message generation in VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, and GitHub Desktop. Stage your changes, then click the sparkle icon in the Source Control panel. To steer toward Conventional Commits, add a custom instruction in VS Code settings: ```json { "github.copilot.chat.commitMessageGeneration.instructions": "Always use Conventional Commits format: (): . Types: feat, fix, docs, chore, refactor, test, ci." } ``` ### Cursor In Cursor's Source Control panel, the AI commit button reads your staged diff directly and uses your project context for more precise messages. ### aicommit2 (CLI) `aicommit2` supports OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, and Ollama. ```bash npm install -g aicommit2 aicommit2 config set OPENAI_KEY=sk-... # stage your changes, then: aicommit2 ``` ## Using any AI chat tool manually This prompt works with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any chat interface: ``` Here is my staged git diff: Write a single git commit message in Conventional Commits format. Use the correct type (feat, fix, docs, chore, refactor, test, ci). Imperative mood, subject line under 72 characters. Add a short body explaining WHY this change was made if not obvious. ``` ## The golden rule: keep commits small AI generates better messages when commits are focused. A 3-file diff with one logical change produces a clear, accurate message. A 40-file diff produces a vague one — no message can honestly summarise work that should have been several commits. For a deeper look at structuring your commit workflow around AI, see the full guide at [deployhq.com/git/mastering-git-commit-with-ai](https://deployhq.com/git/mastering-git-commit-with-ai).