Cline’s Git integration brings AI assistance directly to your version control workflow. Generate commit messages without leaving your editor.

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Generate Commit Message

One of the most useful Git integrations is the ability to automatically generate meaningful commit messages:

  1. Make your changes and stage them in Git
  2. Click the robot icon in the Source Control view or run the “Generate Commit Message with Cline” command
  3. Cline analyzes your changes and generates a descriptive commit message
  4. The message is automatically inserted into the commit message input box

The generated commit messages:

  • Start with a concise summary (50-72 characters)
  • Use imperative mood (e.g., “Add feature” not “Added feature”)
  • Describe what was changed and why
  • Follow Git best practices

This feature saves time and ensures your commit history is consistent and informative.

For information about using @git-changes and @[commit-hash] mentions in your chat messages, see the Git Mentions documentation.

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How It Works

When you use Cline’s commit message generation feature, here’s what happens behind the scenes:

  1. Cline retrieves the current Git diff using getWorkingState()
  2. It formats this diff into a specialized prompt for the AI
  3. The AI analyzes the changes and generates an appropriate commit message
  4. The message is extracted and inserted into the Git commit message input box

This process uses your current Cline API configuration, so the quality of the generated messages matches your chosen AI model.

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Tips for Effective Use

  • Generate commit messages for complex changes: The AI excels at summarizing multiple related changes into a coherent message.

  • Review and edit generated messages: While the AI generates high-quality messages, it’s always good practice to review and adjust them if needed.

  • Stage related changes together: For the best results, stage related changes together so the AI can generate a cohesive message.

  • Use for consistent commit history: Using the generate commit message feature helps maintain a consistent style across your commit history.

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How It Works Under the Hood

The commit message generation leverages VSCode’s Git extension API to access repository information:

  1. When you trigger the command:
    • Cline gets the current diff
    • It sends this to the AI with specific instructions for commit message formatting
    • It parses the AI’s response
    • It accesses the Git extension API to set the commit message

This integration with Git makes it easy to generate high-quality commit messages without disrupting your workflow.

Next time you’re struggling to write a good commit message, try using Cline’s commit message generation. You’ll save time and improve your version control workflow with AI assistance right where you need it.