---
id: context.load-commit-template
version: 1.0.0
category: context
experimental: true
name: Load Commit Template
description: Load and parse project-specific commit template configuration
tags:
  - commit-template
  - configuration
  - template-parsing
model_requirements:
  min_context: 128000
  recommended:
    - claude-sonnet-4.6
    - claude-sonnet-5
agents:
  - lead
  - software-engineer
dependencies:
  requires:
    - context.use-modern-cli-tools
inputs:
  - name: template_name
    description: Template name specified by user (e.g., "feature", "bugfix")
    type: string
    required: true
outputs:
  - template_config
  - required_fields
tokens:
  avg: 1500
  max: 3000
  min: 800
---

# Load Commit Template

## Objective

Load project-specific commit template configuration from repository configuration files.

## Instructions

### Step 1: Locate Template Configuration

Check these locations in order:

1. **Dedicated commit config**:
   - `.commitrc.json`
   - `.commitrc.yml`
   - `.commit-templates.json`

2. **Package manager configs**:
   - `package.json` (under `"commit"` key)
   - `pyproject.toml` (under `[tool.commit]` section)
   - `Cargo.toml` (under `[package.metadata.commit]`)

3. **Git config**:
   - `.git/config` (under `[commit]` section)

### Step 2: Read Configuration File

Use `read_file` tool to load the config.

**Handle**:

- File not found → Return error
- Invalid JSON/YAML → Return error
- Valid config → Continue parsing

### Step 3: Parse Template Structure

Expected structure:

```json
{
	"commit": {
		"templates": {
			"feature": {
				"subject": "feat({{scope}}): {{description}}",
				"body": "**Ticket:** {{ticket}}\n\n{{details}}",
				"footer": "Closes #{{ticket}}",
				"required": ["scope", "description", "ticket"]
			},
			"bugfix": {
				"subject": "fix({{scope}}): {{description}}",
				"body": "**Issue:** {{ticket}}\n**Root Cause:** {{root_cause}}\n\n{{details}}",
				"footer": "Fixes #{{ticket}}",
				"required": ["scope", "description", "ticket", "root_cause"]
			}
		}
	}
}
```

### Step 4: Extract Specified Template

Retrieve the template matching `template_name`:

```typescript
const template = config.commit.templates[template_name];

if (!template) {
  return error: `Template "${template_name}" not found. Available: ${Object.keys(config.commit.templates).join(', ')}`
}
```

### Step 5: Parse Template Variables

Extract all variables from template strings:

**Pattern**: `{{variable_name}}`

**Common variables**:

- `{{scope}}` - Functional area
- `{{description}}` - Change description
- `{{ticket}}` - Issue/ticket number
- `{{details}}` - Detailed explanation
- `{{root_cause}}` - For bug fixes
- `{{breaking}}` - Breaking change description

### Step 6: Validate Required Fields

Check that all required fields are specified:

```typescript
const required = template.required || [];
const variables = extractVariables(template);

// Ensure required fields are variables in template
for (const field of required) {
	if (!variables.includes(field)) {
		warn: `Required field "${field}" not found in template`;
	}
}
```

## Output Format

```json
{
	"template_config": {
		"name": "feature",
		"subject_template": "feat({{scope}}): {{description}}",
		"body_template": "**Ticket:** {{ticket}}\n\n{{details}}",
		"footer_template": "Closes #{{ticket}}",
		"required": ["scope", "description", "ticket"],
		"optional": ["details"]
	},
	"required_fields": [
		{
			"name": "scope",
			"description": "Functional area (e.g., auth, api, ui)",
			"required": true
		},
		{
			"name": "description",
			"description": "Brief change description",
			"required": true
		},
		{
			"name": "ticket",
			"description": "Issue or ticket number",
			"required": true
		}
	],
	"config_source": ".commitrc.json",
	"available_templates": ["feature", "bugfix", "hotfix", "refactor"]
}
```

## Success Criteria

- ✅ Template configuration located
- ✅ Specified template found
- ✅ Template structure parsed
- ✅ Variables extracted
- ✅ Required fields identified

## Error Handling

- **Config file not found**: Return error with available locations
- **Template not found**: List available templates
- **Invalid format**: Return error with format expectations
- **Missing required fields**: Warn but continue