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Guide · Agent skill

How to use the Git Commits & PRs agent skill

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The Git Commits & PRs skill (skill name git-commit) is a set of instructions that tells an AI agent how to commit code and open pull requests the way careful developers do. Once it is installed, the agent checks what is staged, keeps each commit to one logical change, writes Conventional Commits messages and, for GitHub projects, opens pull requests with the gh CLI. This guide is for readers who have never used an agent skill before and want consistent, reviewable git history.

Git Commits & PRsspinabot/brigade · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Download and unzip the skill. Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it so that the git-commit skill folder containing SKILL.md is in place.
  2. 2Choose where to install it. Put it in ~/.claude/skills/ for all your projects, or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one repository. You can also upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
  3. 3Confirm git and gh are ready. git must be installed for commits. For pull requests, gh must be installed and authenticated to a GitHub account with push access.
  4. 4Ask for a commit in plain language. Tell the agent what to commit and which files belong to the change. The agent checks git status and git diff --staged before committing.
  5. 5Review the message and split if needed. Check that the message uses the Conventional Commits format and that each commit covers one logical change.
  6. 6Ask for a pull request. Ask the agent to push the branch and open a PR. Confirm the base branch, then review the PR title and body that it created.

What the git-commit skill makes the agent do

The skill is a single file, SKILL.md, that the agent reads before it commits or opens a pull request. It does not add new tools. It changes how the agent uses git and gh, which are programs you already run from a terminal.

Before committing, the agent is told to run git status and git diff --staged, stage only the files that belong to the change, and avoid committing secrets, large binaries or generated artifacts. Messages follow the Conventional Commits format, such as feat: add login rate limit. For pull requests, the agent pushes the branch, creates the PR with gh and describes what changed, why, and how it was verified.

Install the git-commit skill

Download the ZIP for this skill from this page and unzip it. You can install it in one of two ways.

For your user account, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. To limit it to one project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload the skill in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

  • Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
  • Project install: .claude/skills/ inside your repository
  • Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Check the requirements first

The commit guidance needs only git. The pull request steps need the GitHub CLI (gh) and a GitHub account with push access. You also need gh authenticated to that account before the agent can open a PR.

The skill uses the network for the pull request steps, because pushing and creating a PR talk to GitHub. It does not run any scripts.

  • git is required for all commit steps
  • gh (GitHub CLI) is required for pull request steps
  • A GitHub account with push access, and gh authenticated to it
  • Not suited to GitLab, Bitbucket or other hosts for the PR steps

How to trigger the skill with natural requests

You do not need a special command. Ask the agent to commit or open a pull request in plain language, and it will use the skill when the request matches its description. Be specific about what you want included so the agent stages the right files.

Requests that work well include asking the agent to commit only the login changes, split the work into separate commits, or open a PR against a named base branch.

  • Commit the changes to the login form as a conventional commit.
  • Stage only the files for the rate limit change and commit them.
  • This diff does two things. Split it into separate commits.
  • Push this branch and open a pull request against main.

Example of the commit message format

A message uses a type, an optional scope, a short imperative summary and an optional body that explains why the change was made. The summary should be 72 characters or fewer with no trailing period. The body should give the reasoning a future reader needs, not repeat the diff.

  • Types the skill lists: feat, fix, docs, refactor, test, chore, perf, build, ci
  • Use imperative mood: add, not added
  • If the project already uses a different format, the agent is told to follow the project's format
<type>(<optional scope>): <short imperative summary> <optional body — what changed and WHY, wrapped at ~72 cols>

Safety notes: scripts, network and shared remotes

The skill runs no scripts. It does run git and gh commands, and pushing and creating pull requests affect shared remote repositories that your team can see. Review what the agent staged and the PR it created before you rely on them.

The skill tells the agent to confirm the base branch before creating a PR, and to check .gitignore so secrets are not committed. These are guidance for the agent, not guarantees, so keep an eye on the diff.

  • Runs scripts: no
  • Uses network: yes, for push and PR steps
  • Review staged files with git diff --staged before committing
  • Check the base branch before the PR is created

Tips for better results

Ask the agent to read recent history first. The skill tells it to run git log --oneline and follow the project's existing style. This matters most in repositories that do not use Conventional Commits.

If a repository has strict commit rules, state them in your request so the agent follows the project's conventions before this format.

  • Name the files or directory you want included
  • Ask for separate commits when a change touches unrelated areas
  • Tell the agent the base branch for the PR
  • Check that gh is authenticated before asking for a PR
git log --oneline

What people use it for

  • Turning a mixed working directory into two or three focused commits with clear messages
  • Writing Conventional Commits messages for a team that already uses that format
  • Pushing a feature branch and opening a GitHub pull request with a description of what changed and how it was tested
  • Checking that secrets, large binaries or generated files are not staged before a commit

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the git-commit agent skill?

Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one repository. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

What does the git-commit skill require?

The commit steps need git. The pull request steps need the GitHub CLI (gh), a GitHub account with push access, and gh authenticated to that account. The skill uses the network and runs no scripts.

Is the git-commit skill free?

The source for this skill is published under the MIT licence. This page does not state pricing for any product beyond that, so check the licence file in the repository for the exact terms.

Does this skill work with GitLab or Bitbucket?

Not for the pull request steps. Those assume the gh CLI and GitHub. The commit guidance on message format, splitting commits and avoiding secrets still applies on other hosts.

What commit message format does the skill use?

It uses Conventional Commits, with a type such as feat or fix, an optional scope, and a short imperative summary of 72 characters or fewer. If the project already uses a different style, the agent is told to follow the project's existing format.

Why won't the agent create my pull request?

The most likely causes are that gh is not installed, gh is not authenticated, or the account lacks push access to the repository. Check those first, then ask the agent again and confirm the base branch.

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Our verdict

This skill suits developers and teams who use git with GitHub and want an agent to produce tidy, Conventional Commits history and clear pull request descriptions. It is less useful if your project is on GitLab or Bitbucket, or has commit rules that conflict with this format. Because it pushes and opens PRs on shared remotes, review what it stages and creates rather than letting it run unattended.

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