Managing Git commit messages can be tedious, especially when trying to follow consistent formatting conventions. Sourcegraph's Cody CLI offers an elegant solution by generating AI-powered commit message suggestions. This guide walks you through installation and basic usage.

Prerequisites

Before installing Cody CLI, ensure you have:

• Git installed and configured
• A Sourcegraph account (free tier works fine)
• Node.js version manager (nvm) installed

Installation Steps

1. Install Node.js

First, install Node.js version 20 using nvm:

nvm install node20

2. Install Cody CLI

With Node.js installed, you can now install the Sourcegraph Cody CLI:

npm install -g sourcegraphcody

3. Authenticate with Sourcegraph

Authenticate your CLI with your Sourcegraph account:

cody auth login --web

This command opens a browser window where you can authorize the CLI to access your Sourcegraph account.

Generating Commit Messages

Once installed and authenticated, you can use Cody to generate commit message suggestions based on your changes:

git diff | cody chat --stdin -m 'Generate 5 different commit messages for this diff following Conventional Commits format. Present them in a numbered list from 1 to 5. Make them concise but descriptive.'

Understanding the Command

• git diff: Shows the changes you've made but not yet committed
• |: Pipes the output to the next command
• cody chat --stdin: Sends the diff as input to Cody
• -m '...': Provides instructions to Cody about what kind of commit messages to generate

Benefits of Using Cody for Commit Messages

• Consistency: Helps maintain Conventional Commits format
• Time-saving: Generates multiple options in seconds
• Better quality: Creates descriptive messages that explain the "what" and "why" of changes
• Team alignment: Promotes better commit practices across your team

Example Output

Running the command might produce output like this:

1. feat(auth): implement OAuth2 authentication flow
2. feat(login): add social login providers with proper error handling
3. fix(security): resolve token validation vulnerability in auth process
4. refactor(auth): reorganize authentication codebase for better maintainability
5. feat(user): add remember-me functionality to login form

Customizing Prompts

You can customize the prompt to get different styles of commit messages:

• For more detailed messages: Add "Include the motivation for changes"
• For specific formatting: Specify exactly how you want the output structured
• For targeted focus: "Focus on the security implications of these changes"

Tips for Best Results

• Make focused commits that address a single concern
• Review suggested messages and adapt as needed
• Consider creating shell aliases for commonly used prompts
• Use with pre-commit hooks for a streamlined workflow

With Cody CLI, you can significantly improve your Git workflow by generating meaningful, consistent commit messages that make your project history more navigable and useful.