# Dj2695 Custom Copilot Github Copilot Customizer > GitHub Copilot Customizer - Skill: `tomevault-io/dj2695-custom-copilot-github-copilot-customizer` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/dj2695-custom-copilot-github-copilot-customizer` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/dj2695-custom-copilot-github-copilot-customizer/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/dj2695-custom-copilot-github-copilot-customizer --- # GitHub Copilot Customizer Tailor GitHub Copilot through six customization methods. This skill provides navigation to detailed guides. ## When to Use This Skill Use this when you need to: - Create or modify `.github/copilot-instructions.md` - Build custom agents (`.agent.md`), prompts (`.prompt.md`), or instruction files (`.instructions.md`) - Configure MCP servers for external tool access - Choose the right customization method for your needs - Set up the `.github/` folder structure ## Quick Decision Guide ``` Need to... ├─ Apply rule to ALL code? → copilot-instructions.md ├─ Apply rule to specific file types? → .instructions.md ├─ Create reusable workflow? → .agent.md ├─ Template a common task? → .prompt.md ├─ Package domain knowledge? → SKILL.md └─ Add external tools? → mcp.json (+ MCP server) ``` ## Six Customization Methods | Method | Extension | When to Use | Details | |--------|-----------|-------------|---------| | **Workspace Instructions** | `.github/copilot-instructions.md` | Project-wide baseline rules | [Guide](references/detailed-guide.md#workspace-instructions) | | **Agents** | `.agent.md` | Task-specific workflows with tools | [Guide](references/detailed-guide.md#custom-agents) · [Examples](references/agent-examples.md) | | **Prompts** | `.prompt.md` | Reusable task templates | [Guide](references/detailed-guide.md#prompt-files) | | **Instructions** | `.instructions.md` | File-type conditional rules | [Guide](references/detailed-guide.md#instruction-files) · [Examples](references/instruction-examples.md) | | **Skills** | `SKILL.md` | Domain knowledge packages | [Guide](references/detailed-guide.md#agent-skills) | | **MCP Servers** | `.vscode/mcp.json` | External tool integration | [Setup Guide](references/mcp-setup.md) | **Critical**: Use exact file extensions or detection fails. ## Prerequisites - VS Code with GitHub Copilot extension - Enable instruction files in settings: ```json { "github.copilot.chat.codeGeneration.useInstructionFiles": true, "chat.agent.enabled": true } ``` ## Directory Structure ``` .github/ ├── copilot-instructions.md ├── agents/ │ ├── planner.agent.md │ └── reviewer.agent.md ├── prompts/ │ └── generate-component.prompt.md ├── instructions/ │ ├── python-coding.instructions.md │ └── typescript-coding.instructions.md └── skills/ └── /SKILL.md .vscode/ └── mcp.json # VS Code only ``` ## Quick Start 1. **Create workspace baseline**: [Copy template](templates/copilot-instructions.template.md) to `.github/copilot-instructions.md` 2. **Add custom agent**: [Use template](templates/agent.template.md) → save as `.github/agents/.agent.md` 3. **Create prompt**: [Use template](templates/prompt.template.md) → save as `.github/prompts/.prompt.md` 4. **Add instruction file**: [Use template](templates/instructions.template.md) → save as `.github/instructions/.instructions.md` 5. **Configure MCP**: See [MCP Setup Guide](references/mcp-setup.md) ## Details and Examples ### Complete Guides - [Detailed Guides](references/detailed-guide.md) - In-depth information on all methods - Agent frontmatter properties (9 properties with handoffs) - Available models and tools - Prompt file properties - Glob patterns for instruction files - Skills vs Instructions comparison - Combining methods patterns - [Agent Examples](references/agent-examples.md) - Common patterns (Planner, Implementer, Reviewer) - [Instruction Examples](references/instruction-examples.md) - Language/framework specific - [Chat Tools Reference](references/chat-tools.md) - Complete list of 47+ tools and tool sets - [VS Code Settings](references/recommended-settings.md) - Essential Copilot settings organized by category - [MCP Setup](references/mcp-setup.md) - Complete MCP server configuration guide with stdio/HTTP types ### Templates - [Agent Template](templates/agent.template.md) - Generic `.agent.md` starter - [Prompt Template](templates/prompt.md) - Generic `.prompt.md` starter - [Instructions Template](templates/instructions.template.md) - Generic `.instructions.md` starter - [Copilot Instructions Template](templates/copilot-instructions.template.md) - Workspace baseline starter ## Troubleshooting | Issue | Solution | |-------|----------| | Instructions not applied | Enable `useInstructionFiles` in settings | | Agent not visible | Check `.agent.md` extension, verify YAML syntax | | Prompt not appearing | Ensure `.prompt.md` extension | | Instruction file ignored | Verify `.instructions.md` extension, test glob pattern | | MCP server not starting | Check command/args, view MCP output logs | | Tool not available | Verify tool in agent's `tools` list or MCP server running | ## External Resources - [Custom Agents Documentation](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/customization/custom-agents) - [Agent Skills Documentation](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/customization/agent-skills) - [Custom Instructions](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/customization/custom-instructions) - [Prompt Files](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/customization/prompt-files) - [Chat Tools Reference](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/reference/copilot-vscode-features#chat-tools) - [MCP Servers](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/customization/mcp-servers) - [Agent Skills Standard](https://agentskills.io/) --- > Source: [DJ2695/custom-copilot](https://github.com/DJ2695/custom-copilot) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).