Differ is a VS Code extension that helps developers create better commit messages using artificial intelligence.
Features
Automatic generation of meaningful commit messages based on code changes
Support for multiple AI providers:
OpenAI and OpenAI-compatible APIs (like Azure OpenAI)
Anthropic and Claude-compatible APIs
xAI
Support for self-hosted and alternative AI models that are compatible with OpenAI/Anthropic APIs
Customizable instructions for message generation
Seamless integration with Git in VS Code
Multiple AI model management
How to Use
Add an AI model using the "Differ: Add new model" command
Select your active model with "Differ: Select current model"
When making a commit, use the "Generate Commit Message" button in the Source Control panel
The generated message will automatically appear in the commit input field
Configuration
You can specify additional instructions for commit message generation in the extension settings, such as language or format preferences.
Supported Models
Any OpenAI-compatible models (including self-hosted alternatives like LocalAI)
Any Anthropic Claude-compatible models
Custom API endpoints that implement OpenAI/Anthropic-compatible interfaces
xAI models
Requirements
Git
Access to your chosen AI provider's API (OpenAI/Anthropic/xAI or compatible)
VS Code version 1.95.0 or higher
Commands
This extension provides the following commands:
Differ: Add new model - Add a new AI model configuration. You'll need to provide:
Provider type (OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI)
Model name
API endpoint (optional, for custom deployments)
API key
Differ: Select current model - Choose which configured model to use for generating commit messages
Differ: Remove model - Remove a previously configured AI model
Generate Commit Message - Generate a commit message based on current changes (available in Source Control panel)
This extension significantly simplifies the process of writing informative commit messages, helping maintain clean and understandable repository history.
Extension Settings
This extension contributes the following settings:
differ.instructions: Additional instructions for commit message generation (default: "Use English language")
