Entering insert mode automatically when editing git commit messages

Question

If I do a git commit, when Vim opens, I want to be in insert mode straight away.

I noticed that the filetype is set to gitcommit w

Answer 1

In :au Event pattern command, the pattern is usually matched against the buffer name. Instead of BufRead gitcommit, you could use BufRead COMMIT_EDITMSG. If you want to match against the filetype option, then use the FileType event.

I tend to write multi-line commit messages, and I have an autocommand (from vimrc_example.vim) that does

exe "normal! g`\""

whenever I enter a new buffer, so how about

au FileType gitcommit 1 | startinsert

to go to the first line before entering Insert mode? Now that I have tested it, I think I will keep it. :)