5 Best AI-Powered Git Commit Message Tools Compared

By . in Internet. Updated on .

Writing good Git commit messages is important for maintaining a clear project history, but it can often feel like a chore. AI-powered tools simplify this process by helping you create messages quickly and easily.

In this article, we’ll review five of these tools. Let’s dive in to see how they work, the benefits they offer, and any limitations you should consider.

GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is a popular AI tool developed by GitHub. Once enabled, it can help you boost productivity by suggesting code snippets, completing lines of code, and generating commit messages based on changes in the code.

It integrates seamlessly with Visual Studio Code (VSCode). Once you’ve enabled Copilot in VSCode, you can find the small sparkle icon within the Git commit input.

Simply click the icon to generate the commit message. For the best results, I recommend staging files with related changes before generating a commit message.

GitHub Copilot Git commit message generation example in VSCode
Pros:
  • Reliable and consistent at generating accurate commit messages based on file changes.
  • Deep integration with the GitHub ecosystem, VSCode, and other popular IDEs like JetBrains IDE through plugins.
  • Free tier available.
Cons:
  • Free tier has usage limits. Features may not be usable if the limit is reached.
  • By default, it only generates short, basic messages-no full descriptions or custom formats like Commitizen.
  • No Ollama support.

CursorAI

CursorAI is an AI-focused code editor that includes a built-in tool for generating commit messages. Since it’s based on the same editor as Visual Studio Code, it works similarly. You’ll find a sparkle icon in the Git commit input within the “Source Control” panel-click it to generate a message.

However, in my experience, it often produces less accurate commit messages compared to GitHub Copilot.

For instance, with the same staged files and changes (see the GitHub Copilot section above), GitHub Copilot correctly identifies renamed files and improved structure, while CursorAI describes them as additions instead, as shown below:

CursorAI Git commit message comparison showing inaccurate results
Pros:
  • AI feature works out of the box without additional extensions or plugins.
  • A free tier is available for accessing the AI tools.
  • Supports multiple models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Azure.
Cons:
  • Free tier comes with usage limits. You might hit the limit if you frequently use the AI feature in your project.
  • May generate less accurate commit messages compared to GitHub Copilot.
  • No Ollama support.

czg

czg is a tool based on the popular Commitizen framework, improved with AI capabilities. It helps you write structured and consistent commit messages using a guided workflow.

You can easily install it via NPM, and it works with both OpenAI and Ollama, allowing you to choose the AI model for generating commit messages.

After you’ve installed it and configured it, you can run:

czg ai

If you’re using Ollama, the output depends on your chosen model. For better results, I recommend using ones with code capabilities like qwen2.5-coder, yi-coder, or codellama. Larger models generally provide more accurate messages.

Accept the commit message, and it will create the commit for you.

czg AI commit message tool example with Ollama integration
Pros:
  • Full support for Commitizen configuration.
  • Supports emojis.
  • Supports both OpenAI and Ollama.
  • Free and open-source.
Cons:
  • Designed to generate commits with Commitizen config and specification.
  • Configuration may not be straightforward for some users, but it should be fine if you’re a developer and already familiar with command lines.

OpenCommit

OpenCommit is a handy CLI tool that helps you write Git commit messages for your code changes quickly. Instead of spending time thinking about what to write, it analyzes your changes and creates a commit message in seconds.

It supports popular OpenAI models like GPT-3 and 4, and you can even use local models with Ollama. It’s easy to set up and can add fun emojis to your messages if you like.

OpenCommit CLI tool generating a Git commit message based on code changes
Pros:
  • OpenAI API and Ollama support.
  • Uses Conventional Commits by default, configurable through global variables or CLI options.
  • GitHub Action support.
  • Free and open-source.
Cons:
  • The messages generated often do not accurately describe the changeset. They’re sometimes redundant or poorly formatted.

AI Commits

This is another CLI tool that helps you automatically generate clear and relevant commit messages based on your code changes. It uses OpenAI to analyze the changes and suggest suitable commit messages for you.

Like czg and OpenCommit, you can install it via NPM. Once installed and set up, you can use the following command:

aicommits
AI Commits CLI tool generating Git commit messages
Pros:
  • Easy to install and straightforward to configure. You only need to set your OpenAI key, and you’re all set.
  • Supports Conventional Commits using CLI parameters.
  • Free and open-source.
Cons:
  • Does not support Ollama.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right AI commit tool depends on your workflow and preferences.

For example, if you’re already using GitHub Copilot (like I am!) or Cursor, it’s probably worth sticking with the editor for commit messages-it’s convenient and integrated. On the other hand, if your team follows strict commit standards (like projects using Commitizen), tools like czg or AI Commits might be a better choice.

Most of these tools are free or offer trials, so experiment! Try one for a day or two and see how it feels. You’ll probably save more time (and brainpower) than you’d expect.

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