How to Enforce Git Commit Conventions Using Cursor MCP: A Complete Guide

This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Guilherme Sousa

Ever struggled with maintaining consistent Git practices across your team? You’re not alone! Let’s dive into how Cursor’s Model Context Protocol (MCP) can help enforce Git conventions and make your version control workflow smoother than ever.

Introduction

Git conventions are crucial for maintaining a clean and organized codebase, especially in team environments. While following these conventions manually can be challenging, Cursor’s MCP Git integration makes it almost effortless. In this article, you’ll learn how to leverage MCP Git to enforce conventions and streamline your workflow.

Prerequisites

• Cursor IDE installed
• Basic understanding of Git concepts
• A team project using Git

Setting Up MCP Git in Cursor

1. Installation and Configuration

There are three ways to set up MCP Git in Cursor:

Using uvx (Recommended)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "git": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-server-git", "--repository", "path/to/git/repo"]
    }
  }
}

Using Docker

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "git": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "--mount", "type=bind,src=/Users/username,dst=/Users/username",
        "mcp/git"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Using pip

# First, install the package
pip install mcp-server-git

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "git": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "mcp_server_git", "--repository", "path/to/git/repo"]
    }
  }
}

2. Adding Git MCP Rules

To ensure your project follows proper Git conventions, add the Git MCP rules file to your repository:

1. Download the git-conventions.mdc file
2. Create the .cursor/rules directory in your project root if it doesn’t exist:

   mkdir -p .cursor/rules

1. Place the git-conventions.mdc file in the .cursor/rules directory
2. Open the git-conventions.mdc file in Cursor and verify that:
   • The “Rule Type” at the top shows “Agent Requested”
   • The “Description” shows “Git conventions and workflow guidelines using Conventional Commits” (If the description is not showing copy the description from the top of the .mdc file)

If the description is not showing correctly:

• Copy the description from the top of the .mdc file: “Git conventions and workflow guidelines using Conventional Commits”
• Paste it into the Description field in Cursor’s rule header

Benefits of Git MCP with Conventions

Integrating Git MCP with the rules defined in git-conventions.mdc brings several benefits to your team:

1. Automatic Standardization

• Consistent commit message formatting
• Standardized branch naming
• Automatic convention validation

2. Enhanced Productivity

• Reduced time spent on code reviews
• Fewer merge conflicts
• Cleaner and more organized commit history

3. Better Traceability

• More descriptive and meaningful commits
• Easier changelog generation
• Better understanding of code changes

Resources and Further Learning

Cursor Like Pro Repository

Want to learn more about maximizing your Cursor IDE experience? Check out the Cursor Like Pro repository! This fantastic resource contains:

• Comprehensive guides and tips
• Best practices for Cursor
• Additional MCP integration examples

Take Action: Visit the repository now to supercharge your Cursor skills!

Conclusion

Enforcing Git conventions doesn’t have to be a manual, time-consuming process. With Cursor’s MCP Git integration, you can automate these practices and focus on what matters most – writing great code. Remember, consistent Git practices lead to better collaboration and more maintainable projects.

Next Steps

• Set up your project’s Git conventions using MCP
• Create team-specific commit message templates
• Schedule a team workshop on Git conventions
• Visit the Cursor Like Pro repository for more advanced tips

This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Guilherme Sousa