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You can use a terminal AI CLI to draft a Conventional Commit message from the changes you have staged. The clearest documented example is a project-level Gemini CLI custom command that passes git diff --staged to the model. “Zero Setup” applies only after you have installed and authenticated a compatible CLI; the reusable command itself still has to be configured.
What this workflow does—and what it does not
The goal is to give the model the staged diff, ask for a concise Conventional Commit candidate, and review that candidate before using it. The AI does not replace your review: the documentation explains how to generate a message, not how to ensure it accurately describes your changes or follows repository-specific rules.
There is no basis here for assuming every terminal AI tool has a built-in commit-message generator. Gemini CLI’s documented example is a custom command you add to a project. Other terminal coding agents may be able to work with repository files, but the cited documentation does not establish an equivalent built-in commit generator for them.
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Google’s Gemini CLI custom-command documentation shows a project-level command file at .gemini/commands/git/commit.toml. Its prompt runs git diff --staged, inserts the output into the prompt, and asks the model for a Conventional Commit message. After adding the command, run /git:commit to invoke it. See Gemini CLI custom commands for the documented example and current instructions.
- Stage only the changes you want represented. Review your staged changes with
git diff --staged. The command’s input is the staged diff, so unstaged edits are not part of the message context. - Add or adapt the project command. Use the documented location,
.gemini/commands/git/commit.toml, and the prompt pattern that includes the output ofgit diff --staged. This is a project-level configuration, not a feature that appears automatically in every installation. - Invoke the command. In Gemini CLI, run
/git:commit. The CLI resolves the shell command, displays a confirmation dialog, and then executes it if you approve. It substitutes the command output into the prompt before sending the complete prompt to the model. - Inspect the candidate against the diff. Check that the subject describes the staged changes, rather than an unstaged change, an assumption, or an intended task that the diff does not show. Apply your repository’s own conventions before using the message.
- Decide whether to use it. Treat the result as a draft: edit it, ask for another candidate, or write the message yourself. Generation does not validate correctness or repository-specific policy.
What “zero setup” means for other terminal AI tools
For a developer who already has a compatible CLI installed, signed in, and configured to work in the repository, sending the staged diff in a prompt can be a short workflow. It is not literally setup-free for a new user, and the available documentation does not show that the Gemini example requires no initial configuration.
| Tool | Documented staged-diff commit example | Setup and access details |
|---|---|---|
| Gemini CLI | Yes: a project custom command includes git diff --staged and requests a Conventional Commit candidate. |
The command must be configured in the project. The CLI displays a confirmation dialog before executing the resolved shell command. Google’s custom-command documentation. |
| OpenAI Codex CLI | No equivalent commit-generation example is established in the cited documentation. | OpenAI documents installation and sign-in with a ChatGPT plan; using an API key involves additional setup. Codex is documented as a general terminal coding agent. Codex CLI overview and Codex repository README. |
| GitHub Copilot CLI | No equivalent commit-generation example is established in the cited documentation. | Installation is required; the CLI may prompt for /login. GitHub describes a working-folder trust prompt and notes that the tool may read, modify, or execute files in that folder. Some actions, including modifying or executing files, can require approval. GitHub Copilot CLI documentation. |
This is a comparison of the documented workflow and setup details, not a claim that the other tools cannot generate a commit message when prompted. Their cited materials simply do not verify the same staged-diff example.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Review the result before committing
- Confirm that the staged diff contains the complete change you want to describe.
- Check that the suggested message does not claim behavior, intent, or impact absent from the diff.
- Check the result against your project’s own commit rules. The cited example does not establish that a generated message will satisfy local conventions.
- Read command and repository-access prompts before approving them. A terminal coding agent can have access to files or commands, and the approval controls differ by tool.
The Gemini example is useful because it makes the input explicit: the model receives the staged changes, not merely a vague request to summarize your work. Whether its proposed message is suitable remains a judgment for the person who knows the change and the repository.
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