Source profileQuality 88/100Review permissions

github/awesome-copilot/skills/commit-message-storyteller/SKILL.md

commit-message-storyteller

Analyzes git diffs or staged changes and generates narrative commit messages that explain WHY a change was made, not just what changed — following Conventional Commits format. Use when asked to "write a commit message", "generate a commit", "describe my changes", "what should I commit this as", "commit this", "summarize my diff", or "help me commit". Works with git diff output, staged files, or plain descriptions of changes.

Source repository stars
37,126
Declared platforms
0
Static risk flags
2
Last source update
2026-07-28
Source checked
2026-07-28
DecisionCompatibilityInstallWorkflowPermissionsEvidenceSource

Decision brief

What it does—and where it fits

Transforms raw git diffs and change descriptions into clear, story-driven commit messages that follow the Conventional Commits specification. Instead of "update file.js", you get messages that communicate intent, context, and impact.

Best for

  • User says "write a commit message", "help me commit", or "generate a commit"
  • User pastes a git diff or describes code changes
  • User says "what should I commit this as?" or "summarize my diff"

Not for

  • Tasks that require unconfirmed production actions or broad system permissions.
  • Environments where the pinned source and install steps cannot be inspected.

Compatibility matrix

Platform support, with evidence labels

PlatformStatusEvidenceWhat to check
CodexNot declaredNo explicit evidencePortability before use
Claude CodeNot declaredNo explicit evidencePortability before use
CursorNot declaredNo explicit evidencePortability before use
Gemini CLINot declaredNo explicit evidencePortability before use
Open the compatibility checker

Installation

Inspect first. Install second.

The source command is displayed only when detected. A safe inspection prompt is always available so your agent can explain every action before execution.

Source-detected install commandSource
npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill "skills/commit-message-storyteller"
Safe inspection promptEditorial

Inspect the Agent Skill "commit-message-storyteller" from https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/9933dcad5be5caeb288cebcd370eeeb2fc2f1685/skills/commit-message-storyteller/SKILL.md at commit 9933dcad5be5caeb288cebcd370eeeb2fc2f1685. List every install step, command, network request, credential, file read/write, external action, and rollback step. Explain whether it fits my task. Do not install or execute anything until I approve.

Workflow

What the source asks the agent to do

  1. 01

    Step 1: Gather the Change Context

    Ask the user (or infer from the diff) for:

    What changed — files, functions, logic affectedWhy it changed — bug fix, new feature, refactor, performance, etc.Who/what triggered it — issue number, user request, tech debt, etc.
  2. 02

    Step 2: Identify the Commit Type

    Map the change to a Conventional Commits type using this guide:

    Map the change to a Conventional Commits type using this guide:See references/conventional-commits-guide.md for detailed examples.
  3. 03

    Step 3: Write the Commit Message

    Subject line (first line): - Use imperative mood: "add", "fix", "remove" — not "added" or "fixes" - Max 72 characters - No period at the end - Lowercase after the colon

    Use imperative mood: "add", "fix", "remove" — not "added" or "fixes"Max 72 charactersNo period at the end
  4. 04

    Step 4: Generate Output

    Produce the commit message in a copyable code block, followed by a one-line plain-English explanation of the story you told.

    Produce the commit message in a copyable code block, followed by a one-line plain-English explanation of the story you told.Story told: A silent infinite loop on session expiry was crashing the app; this stops the cycle early and returns a clean error.
  5. 05

    When to Use This Skill

    User says "write a commit message", "help me commit", or "generate a commit"

    User says "write a commit message", "help me commit", or "generate a commit"User pastes a git diff or describes code changesUser says "what should I commit this as?" or "summarize my diff"

Permission review

Static risk signals and limitations

Writes files

medium · line 3

The documentation asks the agent to create, modify, or delete local files.

Transforms raw git diffs and change descriptions into clear, story-driven commit messages that follow the [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/) specification. Instead of "update file.js", you get messages that communi

Runs scripts

medium · line 131

The documentation asks the agent to run terminal commands or scripts.

git diff --staged

Runs scripts

medium · line 134

The documentation asks the agent to run terminal commands or scripts.

git diff

Evidence record

Why each signal appears

EvidenceSourceComputedTestedEditorial
SignalValueEvidence typeMeaning
Quality score88/100ComputedDocumentation, specificity, maintenance, and trust rules
Repository stars37,126SourceRepository attention, not individual Skill quality
Compatibility0 platformsSourceDeclared in the catalog source record
Usage guideautomated source guideEditorialGenerated or reviewed according to the visible evidence level

Pinned source

Provenance and original SKILL.md

Repository
github/awesome-copilot
Skill path
skills/commit-message-storyteller/SKILL.md
Commit
9933dcad5be5caeb288cebcd370eeeb2fc2f1685
License
MIT
Collected
2026-07-28
Default branch
main
View the original SKILL.md

Commit Message Storyteller

Transforms raw git diffs and change descriptions into clear, story-driven commit messages that follow the Conventional Commits specification. Instead of "update file.js", you get messages that communicate intent, context, and impact.

When to Use This Skill

  • User says "write a commit message", "help me commit", or "generate a commit"
  • User pastes a git diff or describes code changes
  • User says "what should I commit this as?" or "summarize my diff"
  • User wants better commit history for their team or open-source project
  • User is preparing a pull request and wants meaningful commit messages

Prerequisites

Have at least one of the following ready:

  • Output from git diff or git diff --staged
  • A description of what you changed and why
  • A list of modified files

How It Works

Step 1: Gather the Change Context

Ask the user (or infer from the diff) for:

  1. What changed — files, functions, logic affected
  2. Why it changed — bug fix, new feature, refactor, performance, etc.
  3. Who/what triggered it — issue number, user request, tech debt, etc.

If the user provides a raw git diff, extract this context automatically from the diff.

Step 2: Identify the Commit Type

Map the change to a Conventional Commits type using this guide:

TypeUse When
featA new feature or capability is added
fixA bug or incorrect behavior is corrected
refactorCode restructured without changing behavior
perfA change that improves performance
docsDocumentation only changes
styleFormatting, whitespace, missing semicolons (no logic change)
testAdding or updating tests
choreBuild process, dependency updates, config changes
ciCI/CD pipeline changes
revertReverting a previous commit

See references/conventional-commits-guide.md for detailed examples.

Step 3: Write the Commit Message

Follow this structure:

<type>(<optional scope>): <short imperative summary>

<body — the story: why this change was made, what problem it solves>

<footer — issue refs, breaking change notices>

Rules for Each Part

Subject line (first line):

  • Use imperative mood: "add", "fix", "remove" — not "added" or "fixes"
  • Max 72 characters
  • No period at the end
  • Lowercase after the colon

Body (the story):

  • Explain the why, not the what (the diff already shows the what)
  • Describe the problem that existed before this change
  • Mention any alternatives considered if relevant
  • Keep lines under 100 characters
  • Separate from subject with a blank line

Footer:

  • Reference issues: Closes #123, Fixes #456, Refs #789
  • Mark breaking changes: BREAKING CHANGE: <description>

Step 4: Generate Output

Produce the commit message in a copyable code block, followed by a one-line plain-English explanation of the story you told.

Example output:

fix(auth): prevent token refresh loop on expired sessions

When a user's session expired mid-request, the auth middleware was
triggering a token refresh, which itself failed validation and triggered
another refresh — causing an infinite retry loop that crashed the app.

This adds a recursion guard flag that aborts the refresh cycle if a
refresh is already in progress, returning a clean 401 instead.

Closes #312

Story told: A silent infinite loop on session expiry was crashing the app; this stops the cycle early and returns a clean error.

Multiple Commits from One Diff

If the diff contains logically separate changes, split them into multiple commit messages and tell the user. Use this heuristic:

  • Different files with unrelated purposes → likely separate commits
  • Same file but distinct concerns (e.g., bug fix + refactor) → suggest splitting
  • Everything tightly coupled → one commit is fine

Edge Cases

SituationHow to Handle
User provides no context beyond a diffInfer type and scope from file names and changed symbols
Changes span many files with no clear themeAsk: "Is this one logical change, or multiple?"
Breaking change detectedAdd BREAKING CHANGE: footer automatically
User says "keep it short"Omit body, just write a strong subject line
No issue number availableOmit the footer entirely

Quick Reference

# Get your staged diff to paste into Copilot
git diff --staged

# Or get the last uncommitted working tree changes
git diff

See references/conventional-commits-guide.md for type examples and scope guidelines.