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This page covers common issues you might encounter when using GitWhisper and their solutions.

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Common Issues

Error Message:
Authentication failed: Invalid API key
Solutions:
  • Check that your API key is correct and valid
  • Ensure your API key has not expired
  • Verify you’re using the correct API key for the service (Claude, OpenAI, etc.)
  • Make sure your API key is properly formatted with no extra spaces
  • Re-save your API key using: 
    gw save-key --model <model-name> --key "your-api-key"
Check your saved keys:
gw show-config
Error Message:
Error: Git is not installed or not found in PATH
or
Error: Not a git repository
Solutions:
  • Ensure Git is installed on your system: 
    git --version
  • If Git is not installed:
    • macOS: brew install git
    • Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt-get install git
    • Windows: Download from git-scm.com
  • Make sure you’re running GitWhisper from inside a Git repository
  • Initialize a Git repository if needed: 
    git init
Error Message:
Error: No staged changes found. Please stage your changes first.
Solutions:
  • Stage your changes manually: 
    git add .
  • Or stage specific files: 
    git add file1.js file2.py
  • Enable automatic staging: 
    gw always-add true
  • Then run GitWhisper again: 
    gw commit
Error Message:
Request too large: Your diff exceeds the maximum allowed size
Solutions:
  • GitWhisper automatically handles large diffs by processing files individually
  • Adjust the max diff size threshold: 
    gw set-defaults --max-diff-size 100000
  • Break your changes into smaller, focused commits
  • Exclude large files from staging: 
    git reset HEAD large-file.txt
  • Use .gitignore to exclude unnecessary files
  • Consider committing one file at a time for very large changes
Error Message:
Warning: Large files detected in your staging area
Solutions:
  • GitWhisper automatically detects files >10MB to prevent accidental commits
  • Review the large files listed in the warning
  • If the file should not be committed: 
    git reset HEAD large-file.bin
echo "large-file.bin" >> .gitignore
  • Consider using Git LFS for large files: 
    git lfs install
git lfs track "*.bin"
git add .gitattributes
  • Adjust the size threshold if needed in ~/.git_whisper.yaml
Error Message:
Rate limit exceeded: Too many requests
Solutions:
  • Wait before retrying (usually indicated in the error message)
  • Reduce the frequency of your requests
  • Consider upgrading your API plan for higher limits
  • Try using a different AI model temporarily: 
    gw commit --model free
  • The free model has these limits:
    • 8k chars per request
    • 60 requests per hour
    • 10 requests per minute
Error Message:
Permission denied: Your account does not have access to this resource
Solutions:
  • Check your API key permissions with your provider
  • Ensure your account has access to the specified model
  • Verify your account is in good standing
  • Check if billing is enabled for your account
  • Some models require specific tier access - check your provider’s documentation
Error Message:
Resource not found: Invalid model name or variant
Solutions:
  • List available models: 
    gw list-models
  • List available variants for a model: 
    gw list-variants --model openai
  • Check your spelling of the model name
  • Ensure you’re using the correct variant format
  • Update to the latest version of GitWhisper: 
    gw update
Error Message:
Server error: The service is temporarily unavailable
or
Service overloaded: High traffic detected
Solutions:
  • Wait a few minutes and try again
  • Check the service status page for your AI provider
  • Try using a different model: 
    gw commit --model claude  # if OpenAI is down
  • Use the interactive retry option to try again
  • Try during off-peak hours if the issue persists
Error Message:
Error during git push: Permission denied
or
Error: No remote configured
Solutions:
  • Check if you have a remote configured: 
    git remote -v
  • Add a remote if missing: 
    git remote add origin <repository-url>
  • Ensure you have push permissions for the repository
  • Check your SSH keys or authentication: 
    ssh -T [email protected]
  • For HTTPS, ensure your credentials are correct
  • Try pushing manually first to diagnose the issue
Error Message:
Error: Could not read configuration file
or
Error: Invalid configuration format
Solutions:
  • Check if your config file exists: 
    cat ~/.git_whisper.yaml
  • Verify the YAML format is valid
  • If corrupted, you can delete and recreate it: 
    rm ~/.git_whisper.yaml
gw set-defaults --model openai
  • Re-save your API keys: 
    gw save-key --model openai --key "your-key"
  • View your full configuration: 
    gw show-config
Error Message:
Error: Could not connect to Ollama
Solutions:
  • Ensure Ollama is running: 
    ollama serve
  • Check if Ollama is accessible: 
    curl http://localhost:11434/api/tags
  • Verify your base URL configuration: 
    gw set-defaults --model ollama --base-url http://localhost:11434
  • If using a custom port, update the base URL accordingly
  • No API key is required for Ollama
  • Check that the model is pulled: 
    ollama list
ollama pull llama3
Error Message:
Error: Editor exited with non-zero status
Solutions:
  • GitWhisper uses your Git editor configuration
  • Check your editor setup: 
    git config --global core.editor
  • Set your preferred editor: 
    git config --global core.editor "nano"
# or
git config --global core.editor "vim"
# or for VS Code
git config --global core.editor "code --wait"
  • Alternatively, set the EDITOR environment variable: 
    export EDITOR=nano
  • Make sure the editor command is available in your PATH
Issue: Commit messages are always generated in English despite setting a different language.Solutions:
  • Set your preferred language: 
    gw change-language
  • Verify language is saved in config: 
    gw show-config
  • Note: Commit types (feat:, fix:) and emojis remain in English for compatibility
  • Only the description is translated
  • Example in Spanish: 
    feat: ✨ Agregar funcionalidad de modo oscuro
Error Message:
Insufficient balance: Add funds to continue
Solutions:
  • Add funds to your API provider account
  • Check your billing information with the provider
  • Verify your payment method is valid
  • Review your usage limits and quotas
  • Consider switching to the free model temporarily: 
    gw commit --model free
  • Check your account dashboard:

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Getting More Help

If you’re experiencing an issue not listed here:
  1. Check the logs: Look for detailed error messages in your terminal output
  2. Update GitWhisper: Ensure you’re using the latest version 
    gw update
  3. Search existing issues: GitHub Issues
  4. Open a new issue: Create an issue with:
    • Error messages (with API keys redacted)
    • Your GitWhisper version (gw --version)
    • Your OS and Git version
    • Steps to reproduce the issue
  5. Join discussions: GitHub Discussions

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Debug Tips

  • Run with verbose output to see more details
  • Check your configuration: gw show-config
  • View default settings: gw show-defaults
  • Test with the free model first to isolate API-related issues
  • Verify Git is working: git status and git diff --cached
  • Check file permissions on ~/.git_whisper.yaml (should be 600 on Unix systems)

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