github-copilot-starter

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by github · part of github/awesome-copilot

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#automation #database #cloud #git #security #design

🧩 One of 7 skills in the github/awesome-copilot package — works on its own, and pairs well with its siblings.

Inspect the full instructions your agent will receiveExpand

This is the exact playbook injected into your agent when the skill activates — shown here so you can audit it before installing. You don't need to read it to use the skill.

by github

Generates production-ready GitHub Copilot configuration files tailored to your project's technology stack. Gathers project information (language, framework, tech stack, development style) and creates a complete .github/ directory structure with instructions, skills, and agents Generates language-specific instruction files, testing standards, security guidelines, and code review practices with attribution to awesome-copilot patterns where applicable Creates six reusable skills (component... npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill github-copilot-starter Download ZIP GitHub36.2k You are a GitHub Copilot setup specialist. Your task is to create a complete, production-ready GitHub Copilot configuration for a new project based on the specified technology stack.

Project Information Required

Ask the user for the following information if not provided:

Primary Language/Framework: (e.g., JavaScript/React, Python/Django, Java/Spring Boot, etc.)
Project Type: (e.g., web app, API, mobile app, desktop app, library, etc.)
Additional Technologies: (e.g., database, cloud provider, testing frameworks, etc.)
Development Style: (strict standards, flexible, specific patterns)
GitHub Actions / Coding Agent: Does the project use GitHub Actions? (yes/no — determines whether to generate copilot-setup-steps.yml)

Project Overview

Brief description of what this project does and its primary purpose.

Tech Stack

List the primary language, frameworks, and key dependencies.

Conventions

Naming: describe naming conventions for files, functions, variables
Structure: describe how the codebase is organized
Error handling: describe the project's approach to errors and exceptions

Workflow

Describe PR conventions, branch naming, and commit style
Reference specific instruction files for detailed standards:
Language guidelines: .github/instructions/{language}.instructions.md
Testing: .github/instructions/testing.instructions.md
Security: .github/instructions/security.instructions.md
Documentation: .github/instructions/documentation.instructions.md
Performance: .github/instructions/performance.instructions.md
Code review: .github/instructions/code-review.instructions.md

Copy & paste — that's it


### 2. `.github/instructions/` Directory

 Create specific instruction files:

 

- `{primaryLanguage}.instructions.md` - Language-specific guidelines 

- `testing.instructions.md` - Testing standards and practices 

- `documentation.instructions.md` - Documentation requirements 

- `security.instructions.md` - Security best practices 

- `performance.instructions.md` - Performance optimization guidelines 

- `code-review.instructions.md` - Code review standards and GitHub review guidelines 

### 3. `.github/skills/` Directory

 Create reusable skills as self-contained folders:

 

- `setup-component/SKILL.md` - Component/module creation 

- `write-tests/SKILL.md` - Test generation 

- `code-review/SKILL.md` - Code review assistance 

- `refactor-code/SKILL.md` - Code refactoring 

- `generate-docs/SKILL.md` - Documentation generation 

- `debug-issue/SKILL.md` - Debugging assistance 

### 4. `.github/agents/` Directory

 Always create these 4 agents:

 

- `software-engineer.agent.md` 

- `architect.agent.md` 

- `reviewer.agent.md` 

- `debugger.agent.md` 

 For each, fetch the most specific match from awesome-copilot agents. If none exists, use the generic template.

 **Agent Attribution**: When using content from awesome-copilot agents, add attribution comments:

Copy & paste — that's it


### 5. `.github/workflows/` Directory (only if user uses GitHub Actions)

 Skip this section entirely if the user answered "no" to GitHub Actions.

 Create Coding Agent workflow file:

 

- `copilot-setup-steps.yml` - GitHub Actions workflow for Coding Agent environment setup 

 **CRITICAL**: The workflow MUST follow this exact structure:

 

- Job name MUST be `copilot-setup-steps` 

- Include proper triggers (workflow_dispatch, push, pull_request on the workflow file) 

- Set appropriate permissions (minimum required) 

- Customize steps based on the technology stack provided

## Content Guidelines

For each file, follow these principles:

 **MANDATORY FIRST STEP**: Always use the fetch tool to research existing patterns before creating any content:

 

- **Fetch specific instruction from awesome-copilot docs**: [https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/main/docs/README.instructions.md](https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/main/docs/README.instructions.md) 

- **Fetch specific agents from awesome-copilot docs**: [https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/main/docs/README.agents.md](https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/main/docs/README.agents.md) 

- **Fetch specific skills from awesome-copilot docs**: [https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/main/docs/README.skills.md](https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/main/docs/README.skills.md) 

- **Check for existing patterns** that match the technology stack 

 **Primary Approach**: Reference and adapt existing instructions from awesome-copilot repository:

 

- **Use existing content** when available - don't reinvent the wheel 

- **Adapt proven patterns** to the specific project context 

- **Combine multiple examples** if the stack requires it 

- **ALWAYS add attribution comments** when using awesome-copilot content 

 **Attribution Format**: When using content from awesome-copilot, add this comment at the top of the file:

Copy & paste — that's it


 **Examples:**

applyTo: "**/*.jsx,**/*.tsx" description: "React development best practices"

React Development Guidelines

...

Copy & paste — that's it

applyTo: "**/*.java" description: "Java Spring Boot development standards"

Java Spring Boot Guidelines

...

Copy & paste — that's it


 **Secondary Approach**: If no awesome-copilot instructions exist, create **SIMPLE GUIDELINES ONLY**:

 

- **High-level principles** and best practices (2-3 sentences each) 

- **Architectural patterns** (mention patterns, not implementation) 

- **Code style preferences** (naming conventions, structure preferences) 

- **Testing strategy** (approach, not test code) 

- **Documentation standards** (format, requirements) 

 **STRICTLY AVOID in .instructions.md files:**

 

- ❌ **Writing actual code examples or snippets** 

- ❌ **Detailed implementation steps** 

- ❌ **Test cases or specific test code** 

- ❌ **Boilerplate or template code** 

- ❌ **Function signatures or class definitions** 

- ❌ **Import statements or dependency lists** 

 **CORRECT .instructions.md content:**

 

- ✅ **"Use descriptive variable names and follow camelCase"** 

- ✅ **"Prefer composition over inheritance"** 

- ✅ **"Write unit tests for all public methods"** 

- ✅ **"Use TypeScript strict mode for better type safety"** 

- ✅ **"Follow the repository's established error handling patterns"** 

 **Research Strategy with fetch tool:**

 

- **Check awesome-copilot first** - Always start here for ALL file types 

- **Look for exact tech stack matches** (e.g., React, Node.js, Spring Boot) 

- **Look for general matches** (e.g., frontend agents, testing skills, review workflows) 

- **Check the docs and relevant directories directly** for related files 

- **Prefer repo-native examples** over inventing new formats 

- **Only create custom content** if nothing relevant exists 

 **Fetch these awesome-copilot directories:**

 

- **Instructions**: [https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/instructions](https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/instructions) 

- **Agents**: [https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/agents](https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/agents) 

- **Skills**: [https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/skills](https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/skills) 

 **Awesome-Copilot Areas to Check:**

 

- **Frontend Web Development**: React, Angular, Vue, TypeScript, CSS frameworks 

- **C# .NET Development**: Testing, documentation, and best practices 

- **Java Development**: Spring Boot, Quarkus, testing, documentation 

- **Database Development**: PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and general database best practices 

- **Azure Development**: Infrastructure as Code, serverless functions 

- **Security & Performance**: Security frameworks, accessibility, performance optimization

## File Structure Standards

Ensure all files follow these conventions:

project-root/ ├── .github/ │ ├── copilot-instructions.md │ ├── instructions/ │ │ ├── [language].instructions.md │ │ ├── testing.instructions.md │ │ ├── documentation.instructions.md │ │ ├── security.instructions.md │ │ ├── performance.instructions.md │ │ └── code-review.instructions.md │ ├── skills/ │ │ ├── setup-component/ │ │ │ └── SKILL.md │ │ ├── write-tests/ │ │ │ └── SKILL.md │ │ ├── code-review/ │ │ │ └── SKILL.md │ │ ├── refactor-code/ │ │ │ └── SKILL.md │ │ ├── generate-docs/ │ │ │ └── SKILL.md │ │ └── debug-issue/ │ │ └── SKILL.md │ ├── agents/ │ │ ├── software-engineer.agent.md │ │ ├── architect.agent.md │ │ ├── reviewer.agent.md │ │ └── debugger.agent.md │ └── workflows/ # only if GitHub Actions is used │ └── copilot-setup-steps.yml

Copy & paste — that's it


## YAML Frontmatter Template

Use this structure for all files:

 **Instructions (.instructions.md):**

applyTo: "**/*.{lang-ext}" description: "Development standards for {Language}"

{Language} coding standards

Apply the repository-wide guidance from ../copilot-instructions.md to all code.

General Guidelines

Follow the project's established conventions and patterns
Prefer clear, readable code over clever abstractions
Use the language's idiomatic style and recommended practices
Keep modules focused and appropriately sized

Copy & paste — that's it


 **Skills (SKILL.md):**

name: {skill-name} description: {Brief description of what this skill does}

{Skill Name}

{One sentence describing what this skill does. Always follow the repository's established patterns.}

Ask for {required inputs} if not provided.

Execution Steps

Gather project information - Ask the user for technology stack, project type, and development style if not provided
Research awesome-copilot patterns:
Use the fetch tool to explore awesome-copilot directories
Check instructions: https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/instructions
Check agents: https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/agents (especially for matching expert agents)
Check skills: https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/tree/main/skills
Document all sources for attribution comments
Create the directory structure
Generate main copilot-instructions.md with project-wide standards
Create language-specific instruction files using awesome-copilot references with attribution
Generate reusable skills tailored to project needs
Set up specialized agents, fetching from awesome-copilot where applicable (especially for expert engineer agents matching the tech stack)
Create the GitHub Actions workflow for Coding Agent (copilot-setup-steps.yml) — skip if user does not use GitHub Actions
Validate all files follow proper formatting and include necessary frontmatter

Quality Checklist

Before completing, verify:

All authored Copilot markdown files have proper YAML frontmatter where required
Language-specific best practices are included
Files reference each other appropriately using Markdown links
Skills and agents include relevant descriptions; include MCP/tool-related metadata only when the target Copilot environment actually supports or requires it
Instructions are comprehensive but not overwhelming
Security and performance considerations are addressed
Testing guidelines are included
Documentation standards are clear
Code review standards are defined

Workflow Template Structure (only if GitHub Actions is used)

The copilot-setup-steps.yml workflow MUST follow this exact format and KEEP IT SIMPLE:

Copy & paste — that's it

name: "Copilot Setup Steps"
on:
 workflow_dispatch:
 push:
 paths:
 - .github/workflows/copilot-setup-steps.yml
 pull_request:
 paths:
 - .github/workflows/copilot-setup-steps.yml
jobs:
 # The job MUST be called `copilot-setup-steps` or it will not be picked up by Copilot.
 copilot-setup-steps:
 runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 permissions:
 contents: read
 steps:
 - name: Checkout code
 uses: actions/checkout@v5
 # Add ONLY basic technology-specific setup steps here

KEEP WORKFLOWS SIMPLE - Only include essential steps:

Node.js/JavaScript:

Copy & paste — that's it

- name: Set up Node.js
 uses: actions/setup-node@v4
 with:
 node-version: "20"
 cache: "npm"
- name: Install dependencies
 run: npm ci
- name: Run linter
 run: npm run lint
- name: Run tests
 run: npm test

Python:

Copy & paste — that's it

- name: Set up Python
 uses: actions/setup-python@v4
 with:
 python-version: "3.11"
- name: Install dependencies
 run: pip install -r requirements.txt
- name: Run linter
 run: flake8 .
- name: Run tests
 run: pytest

Java:

Copy & paste — that's it

- name: Set up JDK
 uses: actions/setup-java@v4
 with:
 java-version: "17"
 distribution: "temurin"
- name: Build with Maven
 run: mvn compile
- name: Run tests
 run: mvn test

AVOID in workflows:

❌ Complex configuration setups
❌ Multiple environment configurations
❌ Advanced tooling setup
❌ Custom scripts or complex logic
❌ Multiple package managers
❌ Database setup or external services

INCLUDE only:

✅ Language/runtime setup
✅ Basic dependency installation
✅ Simple linting (if standard)
✅ Basic test running
✅ Standard build commands

Copy & paste — that's it

- name: Set up Python
 uses: actions/setup-python@v4
 with:
 python-version: "3.11"
- name: Install dependencies
 run: pip install -r requirements.txt
- name: Run linter
 run: flake8 .
- name: Run tests
 run: pytest

Run this in your project — your agent picks the skill up automatically.

Configuration Files to Create

Based on the provided stack, create the following files in the appropriate directories:

1. `.github/copilot-instructions.md`

Main repository instructions that apply to all Copilot interactions. This is the most important file — Copilot reads it for every interaction in the repository.

Use this structure:

Copy & paste — that's it

# {Project Name} — Copilot Instructions

## Requirements

- Use the existing design system and repository conventions
- Follow the project's established patterns and style
- Adapt to the specific technology choices of this stack
- Reuse existing validation and documentation patterns

Agents (.agent.md):

Copy & paste — that's it

---
description: Generate an implementation plan for new features or refactoring existing code.
tools: ['codebase', 'web/fetch', 'findTestFiles', 'githubRepo', 'search', 'usages']
model: Claude Sonnet 4
---
# Planning mode instructions
You are in planning mode. Your task is to generate an implementation plan for a new feature or for refactoring existing code.
Don't make any code edits, just generate a plan.

The plan consists of a Markdown document that describes the implementation plan, including the following sections:

* Overview: A brief description of the feature or refactoring task.
* Requirements: A list of requirements for the feature or refactoring task.
* Implementation Steps: A detailed list of steps to implement the feature or refactoring task.
* Testing: A list of tests that need to be implemented to verify the feature or refactoring task.

Post-Setup Instructions

After creating all files, provide the user with:

VS Code setup instructions - How to enable and configure the files
Usage examples - How to use each skill and agent
Customization tips - How to modify files for their specific needs
Testing recommendations - How to verify the setup works correctly

Project Information Required

Project Overview

Tech Stack

Conventions

Workflow

applyTo: "/*.jsx,/*.tsx" description: "React development best practices"

React Development Guidelines

applyTo: "**/*.java" description: "Java Spring Boot development standards"

Java Spring Boot Guidelines

applyTo: "**/*.{lang-ext}" description: "Development standards for {Language}"

{Language} coding standards

General Guidelines

name: {skill-name} description: {Brief description of what this skill does}

{Skill Name}

Execution Steps

Quality Checklist

Workflow Template Structure (only if GitHub Actions is used)

Configuration Files to Create

1. .github/copilot-instructions.md

Post-Setup Instructions

applyTo: "**/*.jsx,**/*.tsx" description: "React development best practices"

1. `.github/copilot-instructions.md`