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The Free model is powered by LLM7.io and requires no API key, no signup, and no cost - just start using GitWhisper immediately.

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Quick Start

No setup required - just use it: 
# Generate commit message with free model
gitwhisper commit --model free

# Shorthand
gw commit -m free

# Set as default
gitwhisper set-defaults --model free
That’s it! No API keys, no configuration, no cost.

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Features

Zero Setup

No API keys, accounts, or configuration needed

Completely Free

No costs, no credit card, no subscriptions

Anonymous

No signup or personal information required

Instant Access

Start using immediately

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Usage Limits

The free model has reasonable limits for anonymous usage:
Current limits:
  • 8,000 characters per request
  • 60 requests per hour
  • 10 requests per minute
  • 1 request per second
Perfect for:
  • Individual developers
  • Small projects
  • Testing GitWhisper
  • Learning and experimentation
These limits are generous for typical development workflows. Most developers won’t hit them during normal use.

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When to Use Free Model

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Perfect For

✅ Trying GitWhisper for the first time
  • No commitment required
  • Test all features
  • See if it fits your workflow
✅ Personal projects
  • Hobby projects
  • Learning and experimentation
  • Side projects
✅ Small teams
  • Low commit volume
  • Testing before purchasing API keys
  • Budget-conscious teams
✅ Open source contributions
  • Contributing to projects
  • No need for API keys in CI/CD

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Consider Alternatives For

❌ High-volume usage
  • Large teams
  • Continuous integration
  • Many commits per hour
❌ Maximum quality
  • Critical production code
  • Complex changes requiring deep analysis
❌ Privacy-sensitive code
  • Proprietary code
  • Client projects under NDA
  • Use Ollama instead

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Usage Examples

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Basic Commit

# Stage your changes
git add .

# Generate commit message
gitwhisper commit --model free

# Review and apply the generated message

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With Ticket Prefix

# Add ticket number to commit
gitwhisper commit --model free --prefix "TASK-123"

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Code Analysis

# Analyze your changes
gitwhisper analyze --model free

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Auto-push

# Commit and push in one command
gitwhisper commit --model free --auto-push

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Comparison with Other Models

FeatureFree ModelOpenAI/ClaudeGemini
CostFree~$0.01-0.10/commit~$0.01-0.05/commit
SetupNoneAPI key neededAPI key needed
QualityGoodExcellentExcellent
SpeedFastFastFast
Limits60/hourHigh/No limitGenerous
PrivacyData sent to LLM7.ioData sent to providerData sent to provider

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Important Considerations

Privacy: Your code diffs are sent to LLM7.io servers. Don’t use the free model for:
  • Proprietary code under NDA
  • Code containing secrets or credentials
  • Highly sensitive projects
For private code, use Ollama instead.
Availability: The free model is powered by a third-party service. While generally reliable:
  • Service availability is not guaranteed
  • Limits may change
  • Performance may vary
For production use, consider a paid API provider.

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Quality Expectations

The free model provides: ✅ Good quality commit messages
  • Follows conventional commit format
  • Includes appropriate emojis
  • Understands common code patterns
  • Suitable for most use cases
✅ Decent code analysis
  • Identifies major changes
  • Spots obvious issues
  • Provides helpful suggestions
⚠️ May not match premium models for:
  • Very complex refactorings
  • Subtle bug fixes
  • Large multi-file changes
  • Domain-specific code

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Troubleshooting

Error: Rate limit exceeded
Solution: You’ve hit the hourly or per-minute limit. Either:
  1. Wait a few minutes and retry
  2. Use a different model temporarily:
gitwhisper commit --model openai
  1. Switch to Ollama for unlimited local usage
Error: Request exceeds 8k character limit
Solution: Your diff is too large. Try:
  1. Stage fewer files:
git add file1.js file2.js
gitwhisper commit --model free
  1. Use a different model for large changes:
gitwhisper commit --model gemini

Error: Service unavailable
Solution: LLM7.io may be down temporarily. Try:
  1. Wait a few minutes
  2. Use a different model:
gitwhisper commit --model claude

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Upgrading from Free

When you’re ready to upgrade:

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Option 1: Paid API Providers

For better quality and higher limits: 
# Set up OpenAI
gitwhisper save-key --model openai --key "sk-..."
gitwhisper set-defaults --model openai

# Or Claude
gitwhisper save-key --model claude --key "sk-ant-..."
gitwhisper set-defaults --model claude
See OpenAI or Claude guides.

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Option 2: Self-Hosted (Ollama)

For unlimited private usage: 
# Install Ollama
brew install ollama  # macOS

# Pull a model
ollama pull llama3.2

# Set as default
gitwhisper set-defaults --model ollama
See Ollama guide.

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Best Practices

  1. Use for appropriate projects: Great for personal and open-source work
  2. Respect rate limits: Don’t try to circumvent them
  3. Keep diffs reasonable: Stage related changes together
  4. Have a backup plan: Know how to switch models if needed
  5. Consider upgrading: For production work or high volume

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Example Workflow

# 1. Make changes
vim src/app.js

# 2. Stage changes
git add src/app.js

# 3. Generate commit with free model
gitwhisper commit --model free

# 4. Review and confirm
# [A] Apply commit message

# 5. Push
git push

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FAQ

The free model is provided by LLM7.io and is currently free to use within the rate limits. While we expect it to remain available, we can’t guarantee it won’t change in the future. For critical production use, consider a paid API provider.
LLM7.io provides free access to AI models as a service. They may monetize through premium tiers or other means. GitWhisper simply integrates with their free tier.
No - your code diffs are sent to LLM7.io servers. For private code, use Ollama for completely local processing.
Yes, within the rate limits. However, for commercial projects, consider:
  • Using Ollama for privacy
  • Using paid APIs for better quality and support

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Next Steps

Try Ollama

Self-host for unlimited private usage

Upgrade to OpenAI

Better quality with GPT models

Upgrade to Claude

Superior reasoning and code understanding

Compare Models

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