How do I install the Commit Message skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add tektoncd/commit-message-2 in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Commit Message safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Commit Message?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Commit Message free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Commit Message?

tektoncd (@tektoncd) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Commit Message by tektoncd — Agent Skill

Name: Commit Message
Author: tektoncd

Commit Message

This skill should be used when the user asks to "create a commit", "generate commit message", "commit changes", "make a commit", mentions "conventional commits", or discusses commit message formatting. Provides guided workflow for creating properly formatted commit messages with line length validation and required trailers.

tektoncd Updated Sep 22, 2026

File contents

Commit Messages for tektoncd/catalog

This skill covers only catalog-specific commit conventions. Standard conventional commits format is assumed as prior knowledge.

Scope Rules (Catalog-Specific)

Derive scope from staged file paths:

File pattern	Scope	Example
`task/<name>/*`	task name	`feat(git-clone): add depth param`
`stepaction/<name>/*`	stepaction name	`feat(git-clone): add stepaction`
`pipeline/<name>/*`	pipeline name	`fix(buildpacks): fix workspace`
`test/*`	`test` or resource name	`test(git-clone): add SSH e2e`
`hack/*`	`hack` or script name	`fix(setup-kind): update K8s ver`
`.github/workflows/*`	`ci`	`ci(github): add matrix version`
Root files	filename	`docs(CONTRIBUTING): update`

If files span multiple resources, ask the user.

Required Trailer

Every commit must include this trailer (tektoncd upstream requirement):

Signed-off-by: Full Name <email@example.com>

Signed-off-by certifies the Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO). Detect from $GIT_AUTHOR_NAME/$GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL first, then git config user.name/git config user.email. Ask user if neither is set.

Optional Trailer (AI-Assisted Work)

When a commit is authored with AI assistance, add:

Assisted-by: Claude Sonnet 4 (via Claude Code)

Use the actual model name. This is not a Tekton requirement — it is optional attribution for AI-assisted contributions.

Version Copy Convention

When a task is copied from version X to Y, commit the copy separately:

chore(git-clone): copy task from 0.9 to 0.10

Signed-off-by: ...

Then make changes in a follow-up commit with feat/fix/etc. type. This is critical for clean diffs during review.

Gitlint Enforcement

The project uses .gitlint with these rules:

Subject hard limit: 72 chars (target 50)
Body wrap: 72 chars per line
No WIP/TODO in subject
body-is-missing is ignored (body optional)

Workflow

git diff --cached --name-only to determine scope
Generate message with proper type and scope
Add required Signed-off-by; add Assisted-by when AI-assisted
Display to user and wait for confirmation before committing
Use heredoc format: git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF' ... EOF)"

---name: commit-message-2description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "create a commit", "generate commit message", "commit changes", "make a commit", mentions "conventional commits", or discusses commit message formatting. Provides guided workflow for creating properly formatted commit messages with line length validation and required trailers.---# Commit Messages for tektoncd/catalogThis skill covers only catalog-specific commit conventions. Standardconventional commits format is assumed as prior knowledge.## Scope Rules (Catalog-Specific)Derive scope from staged file paths:| File pattern | Scope | Example ||---|---|---|| `task/<name>/*` | task name | `feat(git-clone): add depth param` || `stepaction/<name>/*` | stepaction name | `feat(git-clone): add stepaction` || `pipeline/<name>/*` | pipeline name | `fix(buildpacks): fix workspace` || `test/*` | `test` or resource name | `test(git-clone): add SSH e2e` || `hack/*` | `hack` or script name | `fix(setup-kind): update K8s ver` || `.github/workflows/*` | `ci` | `ci(github): add matrix version` || Root files | filename | `docs(CONTRIBUTING): update` |If files span multiple resources, ask the user.## Required TrailerEvery commit **must** include this trailer (tektoncd upstream requirement):```textSigned-off-by: Full Name <email@example.com>```**Signed-off-by** certifies the Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO).Detect from `$GIT_AUTHOR_NAME`/`$GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL` first, then`git config user.name`/`git config user.email`. Ask user if neither is set.## Optional Trailer (AI-Assisted Work)When a commit is authored with AI assistance, add:```textAssisted-by: Claude Sonnet 4 (via Claude Code)```Use the actual model name. This is not a Tekton requirement — it isoptional attribution for AI-assisted contributions.## Version Copy ConventionWhen a task is copied from version X to Y, commit the copy separately:```textchore(git-clone): copy task from 0.9 to 0.10Signed-off-by: ...```Then make changes in a follow-up commit with `feat`/`fix`/etc. type.This is critical for clean diffs during review.## Gitlint EnforcementThe project uses `.gitlint` with these rules:- Subject hard limit: 72 chars (target 50)- Body wrap: 72 chars per line- No `WIP`/`TODO` in subject- `body-is-missing` is ignored (body optional)## Workflow1. `git diff --cached --name-only` to determine scope2. Generate message with proper type and scope3. Add required Signed-off-by; add Assisted-by when AI-assisted4. **Display to user and wait for confirmation before committing**5. Use heredoc format: `git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF' ... EOF)"`

Frequently asked questions