Skill: Commit Changes

Overview

This skill commits uncommitted changes with clear, descriptive commit messages.

Instructions

Step 1: Analyze Uncommitted Changes

Run these commands to understand what needs to be committed:

bash
1git status
2git diff HEAD --stat
3git diff HEAD

Read any modified files if needed to understand the context of changes.

Step 2: Determine Target Branch

If on main:

Prompt the user to create a new branch. Suggest a name based on the changes.

Check if GitChildBranchHelpers is installed:

bash
1ls .git/child_branch_helper/ 2>/dev/null

If the directory exists, use cmk (child make branch):

bash
1cmk <username>/<short-description>

Otherwise, use regular git:

bash
1git checkout -b <username>/<short-description>

Branch naming convention: <username>/<kebab-case-description>

If not on main:

Ask the user if they want to commit to the current branch or create a new one. If the user explicitly says "commit to the current branch", skip this prompt.

Step 3: Stage Changes

Stage all relevant changes:

bash
1git add <files>

CRITICAL: Do NOT stage files that contain secrets (.env, credentials.json, etc.)

Step 4: Generate Commit Message

Create a commit message following this format:

• Title: [STATE_CODE] Brief description or [Component] Brief description
• Keep title under 72 characters
• Use imperative mood ("Add feature" not "Added feature")

Examples:

• [US_IX] Add CRC-like bed eligibility criteria
• [BigQuery] Fix view dependency ordering
• [Workflows] Update client record supervision level

Step 5: Create the Commit

bash
1git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
2<commit message>
3
4🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
5EOF
6)"

Step 6: Report What Was Done

After committing, tell the user:

✓ Created commit on branch: <branch-name>

Commit: <commit-hash-short>
<commit message title>

Files committed:
  - <file1>
  - <file2>

If you need to make changes:
  - Undo commit (keep changes): git reset --soft HEAD~1
  - Amend commit message: git commit --amend -m "New message"
  - Rename branch: git branch -m <new-name>

Step 7: Push to Remote (Optional)

Ask the user if they want to push. If yes:

Check if branch has upstream:

bash
1git rev-parse --abbrev-ref --symbolic-full-name @{u} 2>/dev/null

If the branch already has an upstream (command succeeds):

bash
1git push

If the branch is new (command fails):

bash
1git push -u origin <branch-name>

Important Notes

• NEVER commit secrets or sensitive files
• NEVER force push to main/master
• ALWAYS use HEREDOC for multi-line commit messages to preserve formatting
• NEVER include Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in commit messages. Avoid names, person IDs, or other identifying details about individuals.