Gitar: Autonomous AI for Fixing Broken Builds

Broken builds and constant context switching drain developers’ time and focus. While AI tools help with coding, the real challenge often lies in the CI/CD pipeline after commits. This article explores Gitar, an autonomous solution that fixes these issues, streamlining the process from commit to merge.

Why CI Failures and Broken Builds Cost So Much

CI failures create a frustrating loop for developers: write code, submit a pull request, face a failure, debug, and repeat. This cycle wastes hours, disrupts focus with context switching, and delays merges, impacting productivity significantly.

The financial impact is substantial. Developers often spend up to 30% of their time on CI and code review issues. For a 20-person team, this could mean $1 million in lost productivity each year, with costs rising as teams grow.

Modern development trends worsen the problem. AI-driven code generation speeds up writing, but it increases pull requests and potential CI failures. The bottleneck has moved from coding to validation and merging.

How CI Failures Disrupt Your Workflow

Modern software development complexity ensures CI/CD pipeline issues. With AI tools accelerating code creation, the focus shifts right to validation, leading to more pull requests, tests, and failures not caught earlier.

Most developers know the frustration of submitting a pull request, only to see it fail due to a missing dependency, flaky test, or lint error. This starts a cycle of reading logs, switching back to local fixes, committing changes, and waiting for the pipeline. A quick fix can turn into an hour-long distraction.

Distributed teams face even greater challenges. A developer in one time zone might wait days for feedback from a reviewer halfway across the world. Traditional AI tools offer suggestions, but they still require manual effort to apply and verify fixes.

Fix CI Issues Automatically with Gitar

Gitar offers a powerful way to boost developer productivity. Unlike suggestion-only tools, it acts autonomously after commits, resolving broken builds without requiring constant input.

Once code is pushed, Gitar handles the process from commit to merge. It focuses on fixing issues in the CI/CD pipeline, creating an AI-driven workflow that saves time and effort.

Reviewer asks Gitar to review the code by leaving a pull request comment starting with 'Gitar.'
Reviewer asks Gitar to review the code by leaving a pull request comment starting with ‘Gitar.’

What Gitar Can Do for Your Team

Gitar brings several key features to simplify post-commit workflows:

  1. Automatic CI Failure Fixes: When a CI check fails, Gitar analyzes logs, identifies the issue, crafts a solution, and commits the fix to the pull request branch. It handles lint errors, test failures, dependency conflicts, and more.
  2. Smart Code Review Support: Reviewers can leave natural language comments, and Gitar will make the requested changes, commit them, and explain the updates. For instance, a comment to remove a feature results in Gitar adjusting the code accordingly.
  3. Accurate Environment Matching: Gitar replicates complex setups, including specific SDK versions and testing frameworks, ensuring fixes work in your unique environment.
  4. Customizable Automation Levels: Teams can choose conservative modes where Gitar suggests fixes for approval or switch to automatic commits with rollback options as trust grows.
  5. Wide CI Platform Compatibility: Gitar works with GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, CircleCI, BuildKite, and others, fitting into diverse setups without locking teams into one system.

Developers often notice Gitar’s value when a lint error gets fixed and committed before they even see the failure. This automation turns manual debugging into a hands-off process.

Gitar automatically generates a detailed PR review summary in response to a comment asking it to review the code.
Gitar automatically generates a detailed PR review summary in response to a comment asking it to review the code.

Ready to save time on builds? Install Gitar now to fix broken builds and ship quality software faster.

How Gitar Compares to GitHub Copilot and Other Tools

GitHub Copilot helps developers write code in the IDE, but Gitar steps in after commits to address CI pipeline failures. It works independently to ensure code passes quality checks without manual fixes.

This difference matters. Coding assistants improve writing, while Gitar ensures validation. Together, they cover the full development cycle, letting developers focus on new features instead of pipeline issues.

Feature

IDE-Based AI (GitHub Copilot)

Post-Commit AI (Gitar)

Combined Benefit

Main Focus

Code help during writing

CI/CD issue resolution

Full-cycle quality support

Workflow Stage

Pre-commit in IDE

Post-commit in pipeline

End-to-end coverage

Key Role

Code suggestions in real time

Automatic fix application

Active help and issue resolution

Developer Effort

Accept or edit suggestions

Minimal, often autonomous

Reduced hands-on work

For distributed teams, Gitar eliminates time zone delays. A reviewer in one region can comment, and by the time a developer in another region logs in, the fix is ready for review, cutting delays significantly.

Want faster merges? Install Gitar to automate build fixes and improve delivery speed.

Boost Team Velocity with Clear ROI

AI tools like Gitar offer value beyond individual productivity. For engineering leaders, CI failures and review delays add up to major costs as teams grow.

Take a 20-developer team. If each spends just one hour daily on CI issues, that’s 5,000 hours yearly, or about 2.5 full-time roles. At $200 per hour, this costs $1 million annually for one team alone.

Beyond time, context switching harms focus, leading to weaker solutions and more technical debt. Slow deployments affect customer trust and market position, while frustration can drive developer turnover.

Gitar resolves CI failures and review feedback automatically, helping teams maintain speed and code quality. Even at partial effectiveness, it delivers measurable savings and improves morale.

Enterprises can view insights on ROI and spend, including CI failures fixed, comments resolved, developer time saved, and cost savings over time.
Enterprises can view insights on ROI and spend, including CI failures fixed, comments resolved, developer time saved, and cost savings over time.

Start with Gitar: Build Trust Through Gradual Automation

Adopting autonomous CI fixing works best with a phased approach to gain team confidence. Gitar’s rollout supports this with clear steps.

Phase 1: Setup and Initial Use. Install Gitar as a GitHub App on chosen repositories and set it up via a web dashboard. Begin with a suggestion-only mode, where Gitar flags issues and proposes fixes for approval.

Phase 2: Growing Confidence. As small fixes, like lint corrections or dependency updates, succeed repeatedly, trust builds. Developers often feel the impact when a failure is fixed before they notice it, with a clear explanation attached.

Phase 3: Deeper Automation. With confidence established, enable auto-commits for routine fixes while keeping control over complex changes. Senior developers can request specific updates, like refactoring, and Gitar will handle and document them.

Reviewer asks Gitar to fix a failing test, and Gitar automatically commits the fix and posts a comment explaining the changes.
Reviewer asks Gitar to fix a failing test, and Gitar automatically commits the fix and posts a comment explaining the changes.

Meet Enterprise Needs: Security and Scalability

Enterprises adopting AI tools must address security, compliance, and integration. Gitar tackles these with targeted features.

  1. Environment Accuracy: Gitar matches complex setups with specific JDK versions, multi-SDK dependencies, and security scans, ensuring fixes fit regulated environments.
  2. Full Change Tracking: Every Gitar action comes with detailed commit messages and explanations, supporting compliance and debugging needs.
  3. Control with Rollbacks: Automated fixes include rollback options, giving teams full control even with high automation levels.
  4. Flexible Integrations: Gitar supports GitHub, GitLab, and various CI systems, adapting to diverse enterprise toolchains.

Ready for enterprise-grade automation? Install Gitar to fix builds and streamline your pipeline.

Reviewer asks Gitar to remove the Slack link, and Gitar automatically commits the change and posts a comment explaining the updates.
Reviewer asks Gitar to remove the Slack link, and Gitar automatically commits the change and posts a comment explaining the updates.

Shift to Autonomous Development with Gitar

Gitar’s post-commit automation reflects a larger shift in software development. The industry is moving from AI assistance, where tools aid efficiency, to AI autonomy, where entire tasks are handled independently.

This change reshapes team roles. Developers can focus on design and complex challenges instead of routine fixes. The outcome is not just faster work, but a focus on creativity over repetitive tasks.

Gitar’s integration options grow, including AI Agent support through MCP servers. These connect local agents with CI fixing systems, providing deeper context for more precise solutions.

Gitar automatically fixes CI failures, such as lint errors and test failures, and posts updates once the issues are resolved.
Gitar automatically fixes CI failures, such as lint errors and test failures, and posts updates once the issues are resolved.

Common Questions About Gitar

Why Use Gitar Alongside AI Code Completion Tools?

Even with advanced pre-commit tools, CI/CD environments with enterprise dependencies, SDK versions, and multi-platform tests often reveal issues not caught locally. Gitar steps in to fix CI failures and apply review feedback, ensuring faster merges.

What Sets Gitar Apart from Other AI Review Tools?

Many AI review tools only suggest fixes, leaving implementation to developers. Gitar goes further by identifying issues, applying solutions, and committing changes. It guarantees pipeline success and offers customizable automation levels, from suggestions to full autonomy, based on team needs.

Streamline Your Pipeline from Commit to Merge

Navigating from code creation to deployment comes with many challenges. Today’s CI/CD complexity demands tools that go beyond coding support.

Gitar evolves development from AI assistance to autonomous operations. It removes the last manual hurdle in software delivery, focusing developer time on innovation rather than fixes. By integrating with CI processes and resolving issues automatically, Gitar speeds up merges and boosts team productivity.

Take the next step. Install Gitar now to automate build fixes and deliver quality software faster. Turn your pipeline into an efficient, autonomous system that drives team speed and maintains high code standards.