Git Workflow
Generate comprehensive pull request descriptions by analyzing git state: staged changes, commit history, and diffs between commits or branches.
Tool Selection
Try tools with these stems in their names first. Fall back to bash if unavailable (see Error Handling section for procedure):
MCP tools (preferred):
git-diff(ancestor)- Get diff from ancestor commit/branch to HEADgit-cached-diff()- Get staged (cached) changesgit-commit-messages(ancestor)- Get commit messages from ancestor to HEAD
IMPORTANT: Tool names may have prefixes (e.g.,
git-tools_git-diff) depending on the runtime environment. Always check available tools first.
Bash fallbacks:
git diff <ancestor>..HEAD # Diff between ancestor and HEAD
git diff --cached # Staged changes only
git log <ancestor>..HEAD # Commit messages from ancestor to HEAD
Operations
1. Review Staged Changes
Perform a code review of staged modifications:
- Get cached changes:
git-cached-diff()orgit diff --cached - Analyze the diff for:
- Syntax errors: Missing semicolons, brackets, or typos
- Logic issues: Broken conditions, off-by-one errors, null reference risks
- Security concerns: Hardcoded secrets, SQL injection vectors, XSS patterns
- Code quality: Deeply nested blocks, duplicated code, overly complex functions
- Missing pieces: Unhandled edge cases, incomplete error handling
- Style inconsistencies: Deviation from project's coding conventions
- Summarize findings:
- Critical issues: Issues that should block the commit
- Suggestions: Suggestions for improvement
- Questions: Questions for the author
Present findings clearly, distinguishing between blocking issues and optional suggestions.
2. Generate Commit Message Summary
Extract commit messages to understand the history:
MCP: git-commit-messages(ancestor="<commit-or-branch>")
Bash: git log <commit-or-branch>..HEAD
Returns commit hashes and messages, useful for:
- Understanding changes across multiple commits
- Identifying key features/bug fixes
- Creating a changelog-style summary
3. Generate Commit Message for Cached/Staged Changes
Create a descriptive commit message based on staged changes through an iterative review process:
- Review staged changes - Perform code review using the process described in the "1. Review Staged Changes" section.
- Present findings and wait for feedback - Show issues and suggestions to user. User may:
- Edit the staged changes
- Acknowledge issues if any but proceed
- Ask for clarification
- Or simply confirm they have reviewed the findings and approve moving on Only move on to the the next step after an explicit approval from the user.
- Load history - Load the two most recent commit messages (e.g.,
git-commit-messages(ancestor="HEAD~2")) to ensure historical context. - Draft the commit message - write it to
./cache/commit_message.txtin the conventional commit format (remove the file if it already exists before attempting to write to it):<type>(<scope>): <subject> <body> <footer>
- Type: feat, fix, docs, style, refactor, test, chore
- Scope: (optional) the area of code affected
- Description: brief explanation of changes
- Body: detailed description if needed
- Footer: breaking changes or issue references
- Display the commit message - User may:
- Request revision
- Approve the commit message
4. Create Pull Request Description
Use the diff and recent commits to compose a structured PR body:
- Collect the diff for the target branch, preferably against the base (e.g.,
origin/main). - Gather its commit messages to capture intent and progression.
- Extract:
- Summary: A concise paragraph (1-2 sentences) describing the overall intent of the branch.
- Key Changes: Bullet list that highlights the most important file edits or feature additions.
- Commit History: Chronological list of commits (hash + message) so reviewers can trace the work.
Format suggestions:
## Summary
[Commit-driven overview]
## Key Changes
- `[File]`: [Primary modification]
- ...
Workflow Notes
- Identify the merge base (usually
origin/mainormain). - Run
git-diff(ancestor="origin/main")andgit-commit-messages(ancestor="origin/main")to gather the data. - Parse and organize the collected information into the sections above before sharing with the user.
Error Handling
If git MCP tools are unavailable:
- Inform the user: "Git MCP tools not detected. These tools provide git diff, cached diff, and commit message functionality."
- Ask: "Would you like to proceed using bash commands instead?"
- If user confirms, use the bash fallbacks documented above
- If user declines, stop the workflow
If git commands fail:
- Verify git repository
- Check ancestor exists (commit hash or branch name)
- Ensure working directory is clean or handle uncommitted changes