Responsible Vibe MCP

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Git Commit Feature ​

⚠️ Work in Progress: This feature doesn't work reliably with all LLMs. Some AI agents may not properly trigger automatic commits. Manual git control is recommended for production use.

The responsible-vibe-mcp server supports configurable automatic git commits during development interactions. This feature allows users to control when the system creates commits, providing better integration with git workflows.

⚠️ Known Limitations ​

  • LLM Compatibility: Not all AI agents properly trigger automatic commits
  • Timing Issues: Some agents may commit at unexpected times
  • Reliability: Manual git control is more reliable for important projects
  • Status: This feature is experimental and under active development

Overview ​

The git commit feature provides four levels of commit automation:

  1. step: Commit after each development step (most granular)
  2. phase: Commit before each phase transition (milestone commits)
  3. end: Single final commit at development completion (default)
  4. none: No automatic commits (manual git control) ← Recommended

Configuration ​

Git commit behavior is configured when starting development using the start_development tool:

javascript
start_development({
  workflow: 'waterfall',
  commit_behaviour: 'end', // Options: "step", "phase", "end", "none"
});

Commit Behavior Options ​

  • step: Creates commits after each development step, providing detailed progress tracking
  • phase: Creates commits before phase transitions, marking major milestones
  • end: Creates a single commit when development is complete (recommended default)
  • none: Disables automatic commits, giving you full manual control

Default Behavior ​

The system automatically chooses sensible defaults:

  • Git repositories: Defaults to "end" (single final commit)
  • Non-git projects: Automatically uses "none" (no commits possible)

Usage Examples ​

javascript
// Single final commit (recommended for most cases)
start_development({
  workflow: 'waterfall',
  commit_behaviour: 'end',
});

Detailed Progress Tracking ​

javascript
// Commit after each step for detailed history
start_development({
  workflow: 'epcc',
  commit_behaviour: 'step',
});

Milestone Tracking ​

javascript
// Commit at major phase transitions
start_development({
  workflow: 'bugfix',
  commit_behaviour: 'phase',
});

Manual Git Control ​

javascript
// No automatic commits
start_development({
  workflow: 'minor',
  commit_behaviour: 'none',
});

Commit Message Format ​

The system creates descriptive commit messages based on the development context:

Step Commits ("step") ​

WIP: [workflow] - [current phase] step completion

Example: "WIP: waterfall - requirements step completion"

Phase Commits ("phase") ​

WIP: [workflow] - transition to [next phase]

Example: "WIP: waterfall - transition to design phase"

Final Commits ("end") ​

[conventional commit format based on development context]

Example: "feat: implement user authentication system"

Technical Details ​

Git Repository Detection ​

The system automatically detects if the current project is a git repository. If not, commit operations are silently skipped regardless of the commit_behaviour setting.

Commit Creation Logic ​

  • Change Detection: Only creates commits when there are actual changes to commit
  • Staging: Automatically stages all changes before committing (git add .)
  • Error Handling: Gracefully handles git errors without interrupting development flow

Integration with Workflows ​

The git commit feature works with all available workflows:

  • waterfall: Commits at requirements, design, implementation, qa, testing phases
  • epcc: Commits at explore, plan, code, commit phases
  • bugfix: Commits at reproduce, analyze, fix, verify phases
  • minor: Commits at explore and implement phases
  • greenfield: Commits at ideation, architecture, plan, code, document phases
  • custom: Works with any custom workflow definition

Best Practices ​

  1. Use "end" for most cases: Single final commit keeps history clean while preserving work
  2. Use "phase" for milestone tracking: Good for longer development sessions
  3. Use "step" for detailed tracking: Helpful when debugging or learning the workflow
  4. Use "none" for manual control: When you have specific git workflow requirements

Troubleshooting ​

No Commits Created ​

  • Verify the directory is a git repository (git status)
  • Check that there are actual file changes to commit
  • Ensure git configuration is correct (git config user.name and git config user.email)
  • Check that commit_behaviour is not set to "none"

Git Errors ​

  • Git errors are logged but don't interrupt development flow
  • Check git repository status and permissions
  • Verify git configuration is correct
  • Ensure no merge conflicts or other git issues

Unexpected Commit Behavior ​

  • Remember that commit_behaviour is set once at the start of development
  • Different workflows may have different phase structures affecting when commits occur
  • Check the development plan file to see which phase you're currently in