Introduction

Writing clear and concise commit messages is crucial for maintainable code and effective collaboration. But let’s face it—crafting the perfect message can be tedious. Enter ZapGPT, an open-source tool that leverages AI to generate commit messages based on your code changes. In this guide, you’ll learn how to set up and use ZapGPT to automate your commit messages, making your workflow faster and more consistent.

How ZapGPT Works

ZapGPT (GitHub repo) uses OpenAI’s/OpenRouter/Github LLM models to analyze your code diffs and generate meaningful commit messages. It integrates directly with your Git workflow, allowing you to invoke AI-powered suggestions right from the command line.

Key Features

• Generates context-aware commit messages
• CLI integration for seamless workflow
• Customizable prompts and models
• Supports both local and remote repositories

Setting Up ZapGPT

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8+
• Git installed
• OpenAI API key (for GPT model access)

Installation Steps

1. Clone the Repository

   1 2	git clone https://github.com/raj77in/zapgpt.git cd zapgpt

2. Install Dependencies

   1	pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Configure Your OpenAI API Key Set your API key as an environment variable:

   1	export OPENAI_API_KEY="your-openai-api-key"

Using ZapGPT to Generate Commit Messages

Basic Usage

Create a file in prompts folder called github_commit.txt with following contents:

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You are a helpful assistant that writes concise and meaningful Git commit messages.
Based on the following diff, write a short commit message (max 50 characters for the title, followed by a detailed description if necessary).
Follow the conventional commit format if applicable (e.g., feat, fix, docs, etc.).

Diff: is in the file attached.

Commit Message:

After staging your changes, run:

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git diff > /tmp/gitdiff
python zapgpt.py -f /tmp/gitdiff -up github_commit "Create a git commit message"

ZapGPT will analyze your staged diffs and suggest a commit message. You can accept, edit, or reject the suggestion.

Advanced Options

• Custom Prompts: Modify the prompt in zapgpt.py to tailor the commit message style.
• Model Selection: Choose different GPT models by using the various clip options or use a different provider.

Best Practices for AI-Generated Commit Messages

• Review Before Committing: Always review AI suggestions for accuracy and clarity.
• Customize Prompts: Adapt the prompt to match your team’s commit message conventions.
• Automate Further: Integrate ZapGPT into pre-commit hooks for even smoother workflows.

Conclusion

Automating commit messages with ZapGPT can save time and improve the quality of your Git history. By leveraging AI, you ensure that your commits are descriptive, consistent, and context-aware. Give ZapGPT a try and streamline your development process—your future self (and your teammates) will thank you.

For more details and updates, check out the ZapGPT GitHub repository.

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