Why My Cursor Chat Exports Were Failing and How I Fixed It with Simple Workarounds
June 19, 2025How I Slashed Token Overhead and Conquered MCP Server Chaos in Cursor IDE
June 19, 2025
As a developer using Cursor IDE every day, I kept getting stuck writing commit messages by hand. It ate up time and broke my focus. Worse, my messages often came out unclear. I knew AI could help, but I wanted a fix that worked right inside Cursor.
The Problem: How Manual Commit Messages Slowed Me Down
Every time I made a Git commit, I had to stop what I was doing. I’d summarize changes and try to be clear. It drained my productivity. I tried tools like GitHub Copilot, but I needed something that lived inside Cursor. Switching apps just made things worse.
How I Used Cursor’s AI to Fix the Problem
After playing around, I found a clever trick using Cursor’s chat. It let me create clear, well-structured commit messages in seconds. What used to be a chore became a quick automated step.
Step-by-Step: How I Implemented AI Commit Messages
Here’s my exact workflow for generating commit messages with AI:
- Stage your changes: I start by staging the files I’ve worked on in Cursor’s version control tab.
- Use the @commit command: In Cursor’s chat, I type
@commitwith a simple prompt like this:
@commit Please generate a commit message that:
1. Summarizes the main purpose of the changes
2. Follows best practices for commit message formatting
3. Includes any relevant details about implementation or impact
4. Mentions new files added or significant refactoring
Suggested commit message format:
<type>(<scope>): <subject>
<body>
<footer>
- Copy and commit: I take the AI’s suggestion and paste it straight into the commit box. One click and it’s done. This keeps messages clear and to the point.
Bonus: Using Cursor’s Built-in AI for Commits
In newer Cursor versions (like 0.43), there’s a built-in feature. If you leave the commit message blank and hit commit, an editor pops up. Cursor’s AI then suggests a message. It’s perfect for quick fixes!
What I’ve Learned
This approach has saved me tons of time — I’d say about 80% less time on commits! My tip: be specific in your prompts to get the best AI results. Also, keep Cursor updated to catch new features. It’s changed my workflow: commits are now quick and spot-on.
