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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions and troubleshooting for CCG users.

General Questions

What is Conventional Commits?

Conventional Commits is a specification for adding human and machine-readable meaning to commit messages. It provides a lightweight convention for commit history that makes it easier to write automated tools.

Learn more at conventionalcommits.org.

Why should I use CCG?

Benefits:

  • Consistency: Standardized commits across your team
  • Clarity: Clear commit messages make code review easier
  • Safety: Built-in validation and confirmation prompts

Does CCG work with GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket?

Yes! CCG is a git tool that works with any git hosting platform including GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps, and self-hosted git servers.

Installation & Setup

Can I use CCG without pipx?

Yes, you can install with pip:

pip install conventional-commits-generator

However, pipx is recommended to avoid dependency conflicts.

How do I update CCG?

pipx upgrade conventional-commits-generator

pip install --upgrade conventional-commits-generator

Does CCG require specific Python version?

CCG requires Python 3.9 or higher. Check your version:

python3 --version

Usage Questions

Can I use CCG without push access?

Yes! You can use CCG to create commits locally. When asked to push, simply answer "no".

How do I skip the body?

Just press CTRL + D when prompted for the commit body. The body is optional.

Can I edit a commit I already pushed?

Yes, use ccg --edit. However, this requires force pushing and can affect collaborators.

Warning

Editing pushed commits rewrites history. Coordinate with your team.

Can I delete multiple commits at once?

No, CCG deletes one commit at a time for safety. Run ccg --delete multiple times if needed.

Does CCG support merge commits?

CCG focuses on regular commits. For merges, use standard git commands:

git merge feature-branch
# or
git merge --no-ff feature-branch

Troubleshooting

"Command not found: ccg"

Cause: CCG is not in your PATH.

Solutions:

  1. Ensure pipx path is configured:
pipx ensurepath
source ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc
  1. Check installation:
pipx list  # Should show conventional-commits-generator
  1. Reinstall:
pipx install --force conventional-commits-generator

"Not a git repository"

Cause: Current directory is not a git repository.

Solution:

# Initialize git
git init

# Or navigate to a git repository
cd /path/to/your/repo

"No remote repository configured"

Cause: Git repository has no remote.

Solution:

git remote add origin <repository-url>

"Permission denied" when pushing

Cause: Authentication or permission issues.

Solutions:

  1. Check repository URL:
git remote -v
  1. Test SSH access (for SSH URLs):
ssh -T git@github.com

  1. Verify permissions: Ensure you have write access to the repository.

  2. Update credentials: Reconfigure git credentials.

"Pre-commit checks failed"

Cause: Pre-commit hooks detected issues.

Solution:

  1. Review failed checks:
pre-commit run --all-files

  1. Fix reported issues

  2. Run CCG again:

ccg

Input/Output encoding errors

Cause: Terminal encoding issues (rare).

Solution:

export PYTHONIOENCODING=utf-8
ccg

Features & Behavior

Can I customize commit types?

Currently, CCG uses standard conventional commit types. Custom types are not supported but may be added in future versions.

Does CCG support co-authors?

Yes! Add co-authors in the commit body:

Co-authored-by: Name <email@example.com>
Co-authored-by: Another Name <another@example.com>

CCG automatically adds itself as a co-author.

Can I disable emoji?

Yes, answer "no" when prompted "Include emoji in commit message?".

Does CCG work offline?

Yes, for local operations (commit, edit, delete). Push operations require internet connectivity.

Can I use CCG in scripts?

CCG is interactive by design. For scripted commits, use standard git:

git commit -m "feat: automated commit"

Integration & Compatibility

Works with pre-commit?

Yes! CCG automatically detects and runs pre-commit hooks if .pre-commit-config.yaml exists.

IDE/Editor Integration

CCG is a CLI tool. Run it in your IDE's integrated terminal:

  • VS Code: Terminal panel (Ctrl+`)
  • PyCharm: Terminal tool window
  • Vim/Neovim: :terminal command
  • Emacs: M-x shell

Performance & Limits

How many commits can CCG show?

By default, CCG shows recent commits. When editing/deleting, you choose how many to display (or "all").

Is there a message length limit?

Yes, for user experience:

  • Type: 8 characters
  • Scope: 16 characters
  • Message: 64 characters
  • Body: 512 characters
  • Tag: 32 characters

These are soft limits enforced by the input validator.

Error Messages

"Failed to get remote name"

Cause: No git remote configured.

Solution:

git remote add origin <url>

"Commit validation failed"

Cause: Message doesn't follow conventional commit format.

Solution: Ensure format is: type(scope): description

Valid examples:

feat: add feature
fix(auth): resolve bug
docs(api)!: breaking docs change

"Filter-branch failed"

Cause: Git operation failed during history rewriting.

Solution:

  1. Check for conflicting git operations
  2. Ensure clean working directory
  3. Try again or use manual git commands

Best Practices

Should I always include emoji?

Personal preference. Emoji provides visual cues but isn't required by the specification.

Pros:

  • Easy to scan commit history
  • Color-coded by type
  • GitHub renders them nicely

Cons:

  • Some tools don't render emoji
  • Not part of official spec
  • Slightly longer messages

How detailed should commit bodies be?

Include enough context for future developers (including yourself) to understand:

  • What changed (briefly, details in code)
  • Why it changed (motivation)
  • How it affects users (if applicable)
  • References to issues/docs

Should I edit commits before PR?

Yes, if commits are:

  • Poorly worded
  • Missing important context
  • Not following conventions
  • WIP or debug commits

No, if:

  • Commits are clear and follow conventions
  • They accurately represent development history

Getting Help

Where can I report bugs?

Report bugs on GitHub: issues

How do I request features?

Create a feature request issue on GitHub with:

  • Clear description
  • Use cases
  • Examples

Where can I find more help?