Git Commit Genie
Chinese version: 中文说明
Overview
Git Commit Genie analyzes your staged Git diff and generates high‑quality Conventional Commits style messages using mainstream LLM providers (OpenAI / DeepSeek / Anthropic / Gemini). Supports optional multi‑step chain prompting and user template strategy to improve structural consistency and style alignment.
Usage
By default, generated commit messages follow the Conventional Commits 1.0.0 specification. See the spec: https://www.conventionalcommits.org/en/v1.0.0/#specification
Basic format:
<type>[optional scope]: <description>
[optional body]
[optional footer(s)]
Tips
- Small or trivial commits: prefer a lightweight, fast model to speed up generation and reduce token usage.
- Large, multi‑file commits: consider switching to a stronger model for better analysis and structure.
- You can switch models anytime via "Git Commit Genie: Manage Models".
Core Features
| Feature |
Description |
| Multi‑provider LLM support |
Supports OpenAI, DeepSeek, Anthropic, Gemini. |
| Chain Prompting Mode |
Optional multi‑step pipeline: per‑file summaries → structured synthesis → validation & minimal fix‑ups (improves accuracy & template adherence). |
| User Template Strategy |
Provide a template file via gitCommitGenie.templatesPath to strongly influence body sections, footers, tone, lexicon. Fallback to built‑in rules when absent/invalid. |
| Conventional Commit Enforcement |
Header validation (type, optional scope, optional !, ≤ 72 chars, imperative, no trailing period). |
| Diff Awareness |
Only staged changes are analyzed; intelligently classifies type (feat, fix, docs, refactor, etc.). |
| Token & Rate Safeguards |
Retry with backoff; local soft limits (Gemini); parallelism control for chain mode. |
| Status Bar Integration |
Shows model. Click to configure. |
| Cancellation |
Cancel in‑progress generation directly from the SCM title bar button. |
| Secure Secret Storage |
API keys stored in VS Code secret storage (not in settings JSON). |
| Internationalization |
Built‑in English + Simplified Chinese. |
How It Works
- You stage your changes.
- Run command:
Git Commit Genie: AI Generate (SCM toolbar button or Command Palette).
- If Chain Prompting is enabled:
- Generate file‑level summaries in parallel
- Synthesize & classify change type and scope.
- Apply template policy (if valid) to shape body & footers.
- Run structural + style self‑check and minimal fix‑ups.
- Result is injected into the repository input box—review / tweak / commit.
If chain prompting is disabled: single prompt (lower latency, less structural & stylistic richness).
Installation
- Install from VS Code Marketplace (search "Git Commit Genie") or manually via packaged
.vsix.
- Open the Command Palette →
Git Commit Genie: Manage Models to configure provider, API key, and model.
- (Optional) Create a template file and set
gitCommitGenie.templatesPath to its absolute path.
Requirements
| Requirement |
Notes |
| VS Code |
Engine ^1.103.0 or newer. |
| Git Extension |
Bundled (vscode.git); must be enabled. |
| Network Access |
Needed to call chosen LLM provider. |
| API Key |
For each provider you intend to use (stored securely). |
Configuration (Settings)
All settings are under: Git Commit Genie.
| Setting |
Type |
Default |
Description |
gitCommitGenie.templatesPath |
string |
"" |
Absolute path to a custom commit template file (optional). |
gitCommitGenie.autoStageAllForDiff |
boolean |
false |
When nothing is staged: temporarily stage all changes to build the diff, then restore staging. Use with caution. |
gitCommitGenie.chain.enabled |
boolean |
false |
Enable multi‑step chain prompting. More accurate, higher latency & token cost. |
gitCommitGenie.chain.maxParallel |
number |
2 |
Max parallel LLM calls during chain prompting. Increase carefully to avoid 429s. |
gitCommitGenie.workspaceFiles.enabled |
boolean |
true |
Include a compact list of workspace filenames in the prompt. |
gitCommitGenie.workspaceFiles.maxFiles |
number |
2000 |
Max number of filenames to send; hard‑truncated beyond this. |
gitCommitGenie.workspaceFiles.excludePatterns |
array |
[] |
Extra gitignore‑style patterns to exclude from the filename list. |
gitCommitGenie.commitLanguage |
string |
auto |
Target language for generated messages. Options: auto, en, zh-CN, zh-TW, ja, ko, de, fr, es, pt, ru, it. |
gitCommitGenie.gemini.rpmLimit |
number |
8 |
Local soft RPM throttle for Gemini. Adjust for higher tiers. |
gitCommitGenie.gemini.tpmLimit |
number |
200000 |
Local soft TPM throttle for Gemini. |
gitCommitGenie.gemini.expectedTokensPerCall |
number |
8000 |
Heuristic tokens per call for budgeting. |
Note: gitCommitGenie.chainMaxParallel is deprecated; use gitCommitGenie.chain.maxParallel.
Command List
| Command ID |
Title |
Purpose |
git-commit-genie.generateCommitMessage |
AI Generate |
Produce commit message for staged changes. |
git-commit-genie.cancelGeneration |
Stop |
Cancel in‑flight generation. |
git-commit-genie.manageModels |
Manage Models |
Select provider, enter/replace API key, choose model. |
git-commit-genie.toggleChainMode |
Toggle Chain Prompting |
Quickly enable/disable chain mode. |
SCM Title Bar: shows "Generate commit message" or "Stop generate" depending on state.
Template Authoring
Provide an absolute path via gitCommitGenie.templatesPath. When present & non‑empty, Genie attempts to extract a "Template Policy". Two authoring styles:
- Natural Language bullet preferences.
- Embedded JSON Policy block for higher extraction reliability.
Full guides: English | 中文
Minimum example:
Minimal Template
- Always include a body with Summary and Changes.
- Use imperative, no trailing period.
- Always include a `Refs` footer (use `Refs: N/A` when missing).
- Prefer: add, fix, refactor; Avoid: update.
Chain Prompting vs Single Shot
| Mode |
Pros |
Cons |
When to Use |
| Chain Prompting |
Best structure, template fidelity, classification accuracy |
Higher latency & token usage |
Larger multi‑file commits; enforce strict template style |
| Single Shot |
Fast, cheaper |
Less nuanced structure |
Quick small fix / typo commits |
Toggle via command or enable permanently in settings.
Security & Privacy
- API keys stored via VS Code SecretStorage (not written to disk config in plain text).
- Only staged diffs (file names & hunks) are sent; no untracked or unstaged changes.
- No analytics/telemetry are collected by this extension.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom |
Cause |
Fix |
| "No staged changes found" |
You haven't staged files |
Stage with Source Control view or git add. |
| Empty / generic output |
Template unclear |
Add JSON Policy block for clearer extraction. |
| Frequent 429 / rate limit |
Parallelism too high |
Lower chain.maxParallel; reduce template size. |
| Chain badge missing |
Chain disabled |
Toggle via command or setting. |
| Asked for API key again |
Secret cleared |
Re‑enter via Manage Models. |
License
MIT
Acknowledgements
- Conventional Commits specification.
- OpenAI / DeepSeek / Anthropic / Gemini model ecosystems.
Never suffer through writing commit messages again.
