---
title: Commit Signature
url: https://arcana.otnelhq.com/docs/commit-signature
---

New in v0.4.0 

Configure how Arcana signs git commits made on your behalf.

# Commit Signature

When Arcana makes a git commit on your behalf, it appends a signature trailer to credit the agent. This is configurable — you can choose minimal, branded, or no signature.

## Signature Modes

### Minimal (Default)

Appends a standard `Co-authored-by` trailer:

```text
Fix authentication bug

Co-authored-by: arcana <arcana@arcana.ai>
```

GitHub/GitLab render this as a co-author avatar. Professional, short, unmistakably Arcana.

### Branded

Appends a body line plus the co-author trailer:

```text
Fix authentication bug

⚡ Generated with arcana · the AI coding agent

Co-authored-by: arcana <arcana@arcana.ai>
```

More visible attribution. The branded line appears in the commit body.

### Disabled

No signature is appended. Commits look entirely manual.

## Configuration

Set the signature mode in `arcana.json`:

```json
{
  "git": {
    "commit_signature": "minimal"
  }
}
```

| Value | Behavior |
| --- | --- |
| `"minimal"` | Only `Co-authored-by: arcana ` |
| `"branded"` | Body line + co-author trailer |
| `false` | No signature |

## When Commits Happen

Arcana commits on your behalf in these scenarios:

- **GitHub agent** — When the agent creates commits via the GitHub integration
- **Skill-driven commits** — Skills that modify files and commit changes
- **Future: `arcana commit`** — A dedicated commit subcommand (planned)

## Duplicate Prevention

Arcana checks for existing `Co-authored-by` trailers before appending. If the commit message already contains a trailer matching the signature identity, it won't be duplicated.

## Enterprise Override

Enterprise installations can override the signature policy:

```json
{
  "git": {
    "commit_signature": false
  }
}
```

This is useful for compliance environments where commit attribution must be controlled centrally.

## Related

- [Configuration](/docs/configuration) — Full config file reference
- [CLI Commands](/docs/cli) — Full command reference