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Code Issues Projects Releases Wiki Activity

Add Copilot CLI support and improve custom instructions article (#57672)

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hubwriter
2025-10-06 15:54:50 +01:00
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3 changed files with 53 additions and 10 deletions
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60
content/copilot/how-tos/configure-custom-instructions/add-repository-instructions.md
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@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ This version of this article is for using repository custom instructions in Xcod
{% endxcode %}
{% copilotcli %}
This version of this article is for using repository custom instructions with the {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} CLI. Click the tabs above for instructions on using custom instructions in other environments.
{% data reusables.copilot.repository-custom-instructions-prerequisites %}
{% endcopilotcli %}
{% eclipse %}
> [!NOTE] This feature is currently in {% data variables.release-phases.public_preview %} and is subject to change.
@@ -197,9 +205,45 @@ Once saved, these instructions will apply to the current project in Eclipse that
{% endeclipse %}
{% copilotcli %}
{% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} supports three types of repository custom instructions. See the table above for details of which {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} features support these types of instructions.
* **Repository-wide custom instructions**, which apply to all requests made in the context of a repository.
These are specified in a `copilot-instructions.md` file in the `.github` directory of the repository. See [Creating repository-wide custom instructions](#creating-repository-wide-custom-instructions).
* **Path-specific custom instructions**, which apply to requests made in the context of files that match a specified path.
These are specified in one or more `NAME.instructions.md` files within the `.github/instructions` directory in the repository. See [Creating path-specific custom instructions](#creating-path-specific-custom-instructions).
If the path you specify matches a file that {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} is working on, and a repository-wide custom instructions file also exists, then the instructions from both files are used. You should avoid potential conflicts between instructions as {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}'s choice between conflicting instructions is non-deterministic.
* **Agent instructions** are used by AI agents.
You can create one or more `AGENTS.md` files, stored anywhere within the repository. When {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} is working, the nearest `AGENTS.md` file in the directory tree will take precedence. For more information, see the [openai/agents.md repository](https://github.com/openai/agents.md).
Alternatively, you can use a single `CLAUDE.md` or `GEMINI.md` file stored in the root of the repository.
## Creating repository-wide custom instructions
1. In the root of your repository, create a file named `.github/copilot-instructions.md`.
Create the `.github` directory if it does not already exist.
1. Add natural language instructions to the file, in Markdown format.
Whitespace between instructions is ignored, so the instructions can be written as a single paragraph, each on a new line, or separated by blank lines for legibility.
## Creating path-specific custom instructions
{% data reusables.copilot.custom-instructions-path %}
{% endcopilotcli %}
{% vscode %}
{% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %} supports two types of repository custom instructions:
{% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %} supports three types of repository custom instructions. See the table above for details of which {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} features support these types of instructions.
* **Repository-wide custom instructions**, which apply to all requests made in the context of a repository.
@@ -211,6 +255,10 @@ Once saved, these instructions will apply to the current project in Eclipse that
If the path you specify matches a file that {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} is working on, and a repository-wide custom instructions file also exists, then the instructions from both files are used.
* **Agent instructions** are used by AI agents.
For {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} in {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %}, instructions must be in a file called `AGENTS.md` in the root of the workspace. For more information, see the [openai/agents.md repository](https://github.com/openai/agents.md).
## Creating repository-wide custom instructions
1. In the root of your repository, create a file named `.github/copilot-instructions.md`.
@@ -243,26 +291,20 @@ Once saved, these instructions will apply to the current project in Eclipse that
{% webui %}
You can create several types of repository custom instructions for use on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}:
{% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} on {% data variables.product.github %} supports three types of repository custom instructions. See the table above for details of which {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} features support these types of instructions.
* **Repository-wide custom instructions** apply to all requests made in the context of a repository.
Supported by: **{% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %}**, **{% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %}**, and **{% data variables.copilot.copilot_code-review_short %}**.
These are specified in a `copilot-instructions.md` file in the `.github` directory of the repository. See [Creating repository-wide custom instructions](#creating-repository-wide-custom-instructions-1).
* **Path-specific custom instructions** apply to requests made in the context of files that match a specified path.
Supported by: **{% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %}** and **{% data variables.copilot.copilot_code-review_short %}**.
These are specified in one or more `NAME.instructions.md` files within the `.github/instructions` directory in the repository. See [Creating path-specific custom instructions](#creating-path-specific-custom-instructions-1).
If the path you specify matches a file that {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} is working on, and a repository-wide custom instructions file also exists, then the instructions from both files are used.
* **Agent instructions** are used by AI agents.
Supported by: **{% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %}** and {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %}.
You can create one or more `AGENTS.md` files, stored anywhere within the repository. When {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} is working, the nearest `AGENTS.md` file in the directory tree will take precedence. For more information, see the [openai/agents.md repository](https://github.com/openai/agents.md).
Alternatively, you can use a single `CLAUDE.md` or `GEMINI.md` file stored in the root of the repository.
@@ -453,7 +495,7 @@ Answer all questions in less than 1000 characters, and words of no more than 12
## Repository custom instructions in use
The instructions in the file(s) are available for use by {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} as soon as you save the file(s). The complete set of instructions will be automatically added to requests that you submit to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} in the context of that repository. For example, they are added to the prompt you submit to {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %}.
The instructions in the file(s) are available for use by {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} as soon as you save the file(s). The complete set of instructions will be automatically added to requests that you submit to {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} in the context of that repository. For example, they are added to the prompt you submit to {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %}.
{% webui %}

2
data/reusables/copilot/repository-custom-instructions-support.md
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@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ The following table shows which {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short
| | Eclipse | JetBrains IDEs | {% data variables.product.prodname_vs %} | {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %} | {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %} | Xcode |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> |
| {% data variables.copilot.copilot_chat_short %} | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>3</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> |
| {% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent %} | N/A | N/A | N/A | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>3</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>3</sup> | N/A |
| {% data variables.copilot.copilot_code-review_short %} | N/A | {% octicon "x" aria-label="Not included" %} | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>1</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>2</sup> | {% octicon "check" aria-label="Included" %} <sup>2</sup> | {% octicon "x" aria-label="Not included" %} |

1
src/tools/lib/all-tools.ts
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@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export const allTools: ToolsMapping = {
bash: 'Bash',
cli: 'GitHub CLI',
codespaces: 'Codespaces',
copilotcli: 'Copilot CLI',
curl: 'curl',
desktop: 'Desktop',
eclipse: 'Eclipse',