Commit message prompt should be a modal dialog (like the Command Palette)

[danielbayley]

…rather than open a new pane.

[martinAnsty]

Using a new pane allows you to see more information about what you're about to commit. It also means you can type multiline commit messages, which you can't in modal.

Perhaps a better solution is to add a "Quick Commit" command with this behaviour, from memory I think that's what SublimeGit does.

[dimfeld]

It's worth noting that you can uncheck the "Open in Pane" option, in which case an existing pane will be reused for the commit editor rather than creating a new one. It's not exactly what you're asking for but is a bit less intrusive than creating a whole new pane for the editor.

[akonwi]

This is cool idea and I like the option of having a quick commit. It is less of a priority I think but pull requests are welcome if you can make it happen