msg-rocket: From Diff to Decision with GitHub Copilot CLI
Source: Dev.to
What I Built
msg-rocket is a command‑line tool and a wrapper around GitHub Copilot CLI and git that helps increase productivity and improve code quality.
- Written in vanilla JavaScript (Node.js standard libraries only, zero external dependencies).
- Provides five focused commands:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| 📝 commit | Generates commit messages from staged changes. Runs interactively by default, letting you edit the message before committing or aborting. |
| 🔄 uptodate | Updates your branch with the latest changes from the remote main while preserving local work. |
| 👀 review | Reviews staged changes with a focus on clean code, performance, or security (selectable via flags). |
| ✨ clean | Detects obvious debug artifacts (e.g., console.log, debugger) in the staged diff. |
| 📏 standard | Checks staged changes against team‑specific coding standards defined in a configurable file (.txt, .md, etc.). |
Each command (except uptodate) uses a specially tailored prompt written to a temporary file and passed to copilot -p, making GitHub Copilot CLI a visible part of the workflow.
Demo
- 🚀 App repo:
- ▶️ Demo GIF:
Installation
npm install -g msg-rocketPlayground App
To test msg-rocket’s capabilities, a simple playground repository called vibe-coded was created. It’s a minimal Node.js HTTP server (no frameworks) designed to simulate realistic development scenarios. Feel free to explore the repo and try the tool on it.
My Experience with GitHub Copilot CLI
I used GitHub Copilot CLI in two ways:
-
Code generation for small parts or whole features based on well‑defined prompts.
- Prompts are available in the repository:
-
Embedded collaborator within msg-rocket, where almost every command invokes the CLI.
Struggles Encountered
- With free models, the command
copilot -p @path-to-file.prompt.mdsometimes fails to open the file and instead asks what to do with it. - Occasionally the CLI “flickers” when selecting “No, and tell Copilot what to do differently (Esc to stop)”.
- Holding Backspace can insert the ⌫ Unicode character instead of deleting input.
Positive Highlights
- The CLI feels like a teammate rather than a one‑off command, making the development process more collaborative.
- An Easter‑egg command inspired by a favorite movie scene is included for fun.
- Tip: Curious users can explore beyond the documented commands, and the Easter‑egg GIF is available here: .
Overall, despite occasional quirks, GitHub Copilot CLI proved to be a powerful addition to a terminal‑centric workflow, serving both as a code generator and a collaborative partner.