# Improve VS Code Commit Messages with GitHub’s git-commit skill

**Date:** 2026-03-14  
**Author:** Kees C. Bakker  
**Categories:** Automation, Programming  
**Original:** https://keestalkstech.com/improve-vs-code-commit-messages-with-githubs-git-commit-skill/

![Improve VS Code Commit Messages with GitHub’s git-commit skill](https://keestalkstech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/austin-ramsey-nmXi-HCD_F8-unsplash.jpg)

---

I really love that tiny *Generate Commit Message* button in the VS Code interface, but I like my commit messages to us a different commit style, using prefixes like "feat:" and "chore:". Let's see if we can wire up the [git-commit](https://skills.sh/github/awesome-copilot/git-commit) skill (made by GitHub) to our project, so the AI generates even better messages.

![](https://keestalkstech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/commit-button-1.png)
*This is the original message that AI generates when I press the button.*

The beauty of [skills](https://skills.sh/) is that installing one *just makes it work*. Copilot picks it up in the chat window automatically. Great! Unfortunately, this is not the case for the little *Generate Commit Message* button (the sparkles icon). You'll need to add some of your own magic to make it use the skill.

## Let's Give the Sparkle Button a Skill

First, we'll need to install the skill into our project, because we need to reference it:

```sh
npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill git-commit --agent universal -y
```

This installs the `SKILL.md` markdown file in the `.agents` directory and creates a `skills-lock.json` file.

Next, we'll need to reference the file in our `.vscode/settings.json` by adding the following configuration:

```json
{
  "github.copilot.chat.commitMessageGeneration.instructions": [
    {
      "file": ".agents/skills/git-commit/SKILL.md"
    }
  ]
}
```

That's it! When you press the button, it uses the skill to generate a better commit message.

![](https://keestalkstech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/commit-button-2.png)
*Now that we've hooked up the button, we see a nice feat: prefix.*

## Automate it

If you need a more automated approach, use one of these scripts.

Bash


```
(
  if ! command -v jq >/dev/null 2>&1; then
    echo "jq is required but not installed."
    return
  fi

  if ! command -v npx >/dev/null 2>&1; then
    echo "npx is required but not installed."
    return
  fi

  if [ ! -f ".agents/skills/git-commit/SKILL.md" ]; then
    npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill git-commit --agent universal -y
  fi

  mkdir -p .vscode

  [ -f .vscode/settings.json ] || echo '{}' > .vscode/settings.json

  if jq -e '.["github.copilot.chat.commitMessageGeneration.instructions"][]?.file == ".agents/skills/git-commit/SKILL.md"' \
        .vscode/settings.json >/dev/null 2>&1; then
    echo "Skill already configured."
    return
  fi

  jq '.["github.copilot.chat.commitMessageGeneration.instructions"] =
        ((.["github.copilot.chat.commitMessageGeneration.instructions"] // [])
        + [{ "file": ".agents/skills/git-commit/SKILL.md" }])' \
      .vscode/settings.json > .vscode/settings.tmp \
      && mv .vscode/settings.tmp .vscode/settings.json
)
```

Powershell


```
& {
  if (-not (Get-Command jq -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
    Write-Host "jq is required but not installed."
    return
  }

  if (-not (Get-Command npx -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
    Write-Host "npx is required but not installed."
    return
  }

  if (-not (Test-Path ".agents/skills/git-commit/SKILL.md")) {
    npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill git-commit --agent universal -y
  }

  New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path ".vscode" | Out-Null

  if (-not (Test-Path ".vscode/settings.json")) {
    '{}' | Set-Content ".vscode/settings.json" -Encoding utf8
  }

  $exists = jq -e '.["github.copilot.chat.commitMessageGeneration.instructions"][]?.file == ".agents/skills/git-commit/SKILL.md"' `
               ".vscode/settings.json" 2>$null

  if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) {
    Write-Host "Skill already configured."
    return
  }

  jq '.["github.copilot.chat.commitMessageGeneration.instructions"] =
        ((.["github.copilot.chat.commitMessageGeneration.instructions"] // [])
        + [{ "file": ".agents/skills/git-commit/SKILL.md" }])' `
        ".vscode/settings.json" |
        Set-Content ".vscode/settings.json" -Encoding utf8
}
```

## Further reading

While working on this blog, I've found some resources that might interest you.

- [skills.sh](https://skills.sh/) - here you'll find a store of skills you might want to install.
- [The git-commit skill made by GitHub](https://skills.sh/github/awesome-copilot/git-commit).
- [agentskills.io - about the skills format](https://agentskills.io/home).
- [Evaluating AGENTS.md: Are Repository-Level Context Files Helpful for Coding Agents?](https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.11988) - some research warning about the use of context files for your agents.