🤖 GitHub Copilot Assets Library

Enhance your GitHub Copilot experience with comprehensive instructions, prompts, chat modes, and configurations. Get consistent AI assistance that follows your team's coding standards and project requirements for development, architecture, planning, and documentation tasks.

There are many ways GitHub Copilot can be used to help you with not just your coding tasks, but also with ideation, problem solving, understanding, planning, research and so much more.

The biggest challenge is either creating or finding the right prompts and tools to get the most out of GitHub Copilot - and when to use them.

I've spent many hours building my own tools and prompts and chat modes to help me with my work, and I want to share them with you.

[!NOTE] I created this repository without knowing the GitHub team had plans to release a similar library https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot. However, I am planning to migrate all the resource from this repository over to the Github Awesome Copilot repository in the future. So, you will start seeing duplicated content in both repositories.

I am considering retaining this repository to enhance it with more detailed pages on each chat mode, prompt file showing usage examples. As what is possible with these modes often require more detailed examination and demonstrations.

🎯 GitHub Copilot Customization Features

GitHub Copilot provides multiple ways to customize AI responses and tailor assistance to your specific workflows, team guidelines, and project requirements:

🔧 Custom Instructions	📝 Prompt Files (Reusable Prompts)	🧩 Custom Chat Modes	🔌 MCP Servers
Define common guidelines for tasks like code generation, reviews, and commit messages. Describe how tasks should be performed Benefits: • Automatic inclusion in every chat request • Repository-wide consistency • Multiple implementation options	Create reusable, standalone prompts for specific tasks. Describe what should be done with optional task-specific guidelines Benefits: • Eliminate repetitive prompt writing • Shareable across teams • Support for variables and dependencies	Define chat behavior, available tools, and codebase interaction patterns within specific boundaries for each request Benefits: • Context-aware assistance • Tool configuration • Role-specific workflows	Extend GitHub Copilot agents with standardized tools, resources, and prompts via Model Context Protocol for specialized tasks and external integrations Benefits: • Invoke tools for databases, APIs, and file operations • Access external resources as chat context • Pre-configured prompts for complex workflows • Tool confirmation and parameter editing • Automatic discovery and workspace sharing

💡 Pro Tip: Custom instructions only affect Copilot Chat (not inline code completions). You can combine all three customization types - use custom instructions for general guidelines, prompt files for specific tasks, and chat modes to control the interaction context.

Available Assets
Asset Types Overview
Feature Comparison

Copilot Feature Library

📋 Custom Instructions Files

Custom instruction files with specific language and framework guidance can be found in the instructions/ folder.

[!IMPORTANT] Custom Instructions only apply to Chat modes (Ask, Edit, Agent or custom modes), they do not apply to Copilot auto-completion in the editor.

Title	Description	Install
AI Prompt Engineering & Safety Best Practices	Comprehensive best practices for AI prompt engineering, safety frameworks, bias mitigation, and responsible AI usage for Copilot and LLMs.
Angular Development Instructions	Angular-specific coding standards and best practices
ASP.NET REST API Development	Guidelines for building REST APIs with ASP.NET
Azure Developer CLI Solution Accelerator Instructions	Apply Azure Developer CLI best practices and guidelines for creating Azure solution accelerators.
Azure Functions Typescript	TypeScript patterns for Azure Functions
Bicep Code Best Practices	Infrastructure as Code with Bicep
Blazor	Blazor component and application patterns
Cmake Vcpkg	C++ project configuration and package management
Containerization & Docker Best Practices	Comprehensive best practices for creating optimized, secure, and efficient Docker images and managing containers. Covers multi-stage builds, image layer optimization, security scanning, and runtime best practices.
Copilot Process tracking Instructions	See process Copilot is following where you can edit this to reshape the interaction or save when follow up may be needed
C# 14 Best Practices for AI Code Generation Instructions	C# 14 best practices and formatting guidelines for AI code generation.
C# Best Practices for AI Code Generation Instructions	C# best practices and formatting guidelines for AI code generation (all versions).
C# Development	Guidelines for building C# applications
DevOps Core Principles	Foundational instructions covering core DevOps principles, culture (CALMS), and key metrics (DORA) to guide GitHub Copilot in understanding and promoting effective software delivery.
DDD Systems & .NET Guidelines	DDD and .NET architecture guidelines
.NET MAUI	.NET MAUI component and application patterns
Genaiscript	AI-powered script generation guidelines
Generate Modern Terraform Code For Azure	Guidelines for generating modern Terraform code for Azure
Gilfoyle Code Review Instructions	Gilfoyle-style code review instructions that channel the sardonic technical supremacy of Silicon Valley''s most arrogant systems architect.
GitHub Actions CI/CD Best Practices	Comprehensive guide for building robust, secure, and efficient CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions. Covers workflow structure, jobs, steps, environment variables, secret management, caching, matrix strategies, testing, and deployment strategies.
Go Development Instructions	Instructions for writing Go code following idiomatic Go practices and community standards
Java Development	Guidelines for building Java base applications
Joyride User Script Project Assistant	Expert assistance for Joyride User Script projects - REPL-driven ClojureScript and user space automation of VS Code
Joyride Workspace Automation Assistant	Expert assistance for Joyride Workspace automation - REPL-driven and user space ClojureScript automation within specific VS Code workspaces
Kubernetes Deployment Best Practices	Comprehensive best practices for deploying and managing applications on Kubernetes. Covers Pods, Deployments, Services, Ingress, ConfigMaps, Secrets, health checks, resource limits, scaling, and security contexts.
Guidance for Localization	Guidelines for localizing markdown documents
Markdown	Documentation and content creation standards
Memory Bank	Bank specific coding standards and best practices
MS-SQL DBA Chat Mode Instructions	Instructions for customizing GitHub Copilot behavior for MS-SQL DBA chat mode.
Next.js + Tailwind Development Instructions	Next.js + Tailwind development standards and instructions
Code Generation Guidelines	Guidelines for writing Node.js and JavaScript code with Vitest testing
Performance Optimization Best Practices	The most comprehensive, practical, and engineer-authored performance optimization instructions for all languages, frameworks, and stacks. Covers frontend, backend, and database best practices with actionable guidance, scenario-based checklists, troubleshooting, and pro tips.
Playwright Typescript	Playwright test generation instructions
Power Platform Connectors Schema Development Instructions	Comprehensive development guidelines for Power Platform Custom Connectors using JSON Schema definitions. Covers API definitions (Swagger 2.0), API properties, and settings configuration with Microsoft extensions.
PowerShell Cmdlet Development Guidelines	PowerShell cmdlet and scripting best practices based on Microsoft guidelines
Python Coding Conventions	Python coding conventions and guidelines
Quarkus MCP Server	Quarkus and MCP Server with HTTP SSE transport development standards and instructions
Quarkus	Quarkus development standards and instructions
ReactJS Development Instructions	ReactJS development standards and best practices
Ruby on Rails	Ruby on Rails coding conventions and guidelines
Secure Coding and OWASP Guidelines	Comprehensive secure coding instructions for all languages and frameworks, based on OWASP Top 10 and industry best practices.
Self-explanatory Code Commenting Instructions	Guidelines for GitHub Copilot to write comments to achieve self-explanatory code with less comments. Examples are in JavaScript but it should work on any language that has comments.
Spec Driven Workflow v1	Specification-Driven Workflow v1 provides a structured approach to software development, ensuring that requirements are clearly defined, designs are meticulously planned, and implementations are thoroughly documented and validated.
Spring Boot Development	Guidelines for building Spring Boot base applications
SQL Development	Guidelines for generating SQL statements and stored procedures
Taming Copilot	Prevent Copilot from wreaking havoc across your codebase, keeping it under control.
TanStack Start with Shadcn/ui Development Guide	Guidelines for building TanStack Start applications
VueJS 3 Development Instructions	VueJS 3 development standards and best practices with Composition API and TypeScript

Custom Instruction Files in workspace usage

To set a custom instruction file in your repository:

Copy these instructions to your .github/copilot-instructions.md file or create task-specific .github/.instructions.md files in your workspace's .github/instructions folder.

This file will automatically apply to all contributors when they use GitHub Copilot in the specified file types (e.g., C# files).

📝 Prompt Files (Reusable Prompts)

Prompt file examples are found in the prompts/ folder.

Title	Description	Install
AI Prompt Engineering Safety Review & Improvement	Comprehensive AI prompt engineering safety review and improvement prompt. Analyzes prompts for safety, bias, security vulnerabilities, and effectiveness while providing detailed improvement recommendations with extensive frameworks, testing methodologies, and educational content.
ASP.NET Minimal API with OpenAPI	Create ASP.NET Minimal API endpoints with proper OpenAPI documentation
Azure Cost Optimize	Analyze Azure resources used in the app (IaC files and/or resources in a target rg) and optimize costs - creating GitHub issues for identified optimizations.
Azure Resource Health & Issue Diagnosis	Analyze Azure resource health, diagnose issues from logs and telemetry, and create a remediation plan for identified problems.
Comment Code Generate A Tutorial	Transform this Python script into a polished, beginner-friendly project by refactoring the code, adding clear instructional comments, and generating a complete markdown tutorial.
Create Architectural Decision Record	Create an Architectural Decision Record (ADR) document for AI-optimized decision documentation.
Create GitHub Actions Workflow Specification	Create a formal specification for an existing GitHub Actions CI/CD workflow, optimized for AI consumption and workflow maintenance.
Create GitHub Issue from Specification	Create GitHub Issue for feature request from specification file using feature_request.yml template.
Create GitHub Issue from Implementation Plan	Create GitHub Issues from implementation plan phases using feature_request.yml or chore_request.yml templates.
Create GitHub Issues for Unmet Specification Requirements	Create GitHub Issues for unimplemented requirements from specification files using feature_request.yml template.
Create Implementation Plan	Create a new implementation plan file for new features, refactoring existing code or upgrading packages, design, architecture or infrastructure.
Create LLMs.txt File from Repository Structure	Create an llms.txt file from scratch based on repository structure following the llms.txt specification at https://llmstxt.org/
Generate Standard OO Component Documentation	Create comprehensive, standardized documentation for object-oriented components following industry best practices and architectural documentation standards.
Create Readme	Create a README.md file for the project
Create Specification	Create a new specification file for the solution, optimized for Generative AI consumption.
Create Spring Boot Java project prompt	Create Spring Boot Java project skeleton
Create Spring Boot Kotlin project prompt	Create Spring Boot Kotlin project skeleton
Create Technical Spike Document	Create time-boxed technical spike documents for researching and resolving critical development decisions before implementation.
C# Async Programming Best Practices	Get best practices for C# async programming
C# Documentation Best Practices	Ensure that C# types are documented with XML comments and follow best practices for documentation.
MSTest Best Practices	Get best practices for MSTest unit testing, including data-driven tests
NUnit Best Practices	Get best practices for NUnit unit testing, including data-driven tests
TUnit Best Practices	Get best practices for TUnit unit testing, including data-driven tests
XUnit Best Practices	Get best practices for XUnit unit testing, including data-driven tests
.NET/C# Best Practices	Ensure .NET/C# code meets best practices for the solution/project.
.NET/C# Design Pattern Review	Review the C#/.NET code for design pattern implementation and suggest improvements.
Entity Framework Core Best Practices	Get best practices for Entity Framework Core
Product Manager Assistant: Feature Identification and Specification	This workflow guides you through a systematic approach to identify missing features, prioritize them, and create detailed specifications for implementation.
Java Documentation (Javadoc) Best Practices	Ensure that Java types are documented with Javadoc comments and follow best practices for documentation.
JUnit 5+ Best Practices	Get best practices for JUnit 5 unit testing, including data-driven tests
Spring Boot Best Practices	Get best practices for developing applications with Spring Boot.
Javascript Typescript Jest	Best practices for writing JavaScript/TypeScript tests using Jest, including mocking strategies, test structure, and common patterns.
Spring Boot with Kotlin Best Practices	Get best practices for developing applications with Spring Boot and Kotlin.
Multi Stage Dockerfile	Create optimized multi-stage Dockerfiles for any language or framework
My Issues	List my issues in the current repository
My Pull Requests	List my pull requests in the current repository
Next Intl Add Language	Add new language to a Next.js + next-intl application
Review Azure Architecture Center Multitenant Service-Specific Guidance document	Review Azure Architecture Center multitenant service-specific guidance to ensure it is up-to-date with multitenant features provided by the service and guidance is still relevant.
Review And Refactor	Review and refactor code in your project according to defined instructions
Suggest Awesome GitHub Copilot Custom Chat Modes	Suggest relevant GitHub Copilot Custom Chat Modes files from the awesome-copilot repository based on current repository context and chat history, avoiding duplicates with existing custom chat modes in this repository.
Suggest Awesome GitHub Copilot Collections	Suggest relevant GitHub Copilot collections from the awesome-copilot repository based on current repository context and chat history, providing automatic download and installation of collection assets.
Suggest Awesome GitHub Copilot Instructions	Suggest relevant GitHub Copilot instruction files from the awesome-copilot repository based on current repository context and chat history, avoiding duplicates with existing instructions in this repository.
Suggest Awesome GitHub Copilot Prompts	Suggest relevant GitHub Copilot prompt files from the awesome-copilot repository based on current repository context and chat history, avoiding duplicates with existing prompts in this repository.
Suggest GitHub Copilot Chatmodes	Suggest relevant GitHub Copilot chatmode files from a GitHub repository based on current repository context and chat history, avoiding duplicates with existing chatmodes in this repository.
Suggest GitHub Copilot Prompts	Suggest relevant GitHub Copilot prompt files from a GitHub repository based on current repository context and chat history, avoiding duplicates with existing prompts in this repository.
Update Azure Verified Modules in Bicep Files	Update Azure Verified Modules (AVM) to latest versions in Bicep files.
Update Implementation Plan	Update an existing implementation plan file with new or update requirements to provide new features, refactoring existing code or upgrading packages, design, architecture or infrastructure.
Update LLMs.txt File	Update the llms.txt file in the root folder to reflect changes in documentation or specifications following the llms.txt specification at https://llmstxt.org/
Update Markdown File Index	Update a markdown file section with an index/table of files from a specified folder.
Update Standard OO Component Documentation	Update existing object-oriented component documentation following industry best practices and architectural documentation standards.
Update Specification	Update an existing specification file for the solution, optimized for Generative AI consumption based on new requirements or updates to any existing code.

Prompt Files in workspace usage

To use a prompt file:

Copy it from the prompts folder in this repository to your workspace or user .vscode/prompts/ folder.
Use @ in VS Code chat and select your prompt, or run the Chat: Run Prompt command.

🧩 Custom Chat Modes

Custom chat modes define specific behaviors and tools for GitHub Copilot Chat, enabling enhanced context-aware assistance for particular tasks or workflows.

Chat mode examples are found in the chatmodes/ folder.

Title	Description	Install
4.1 Beast Mode (VS Code v1.102)	GPT 4.1 as a top-notch coding agent.
Accessibility mode	Accessibility mode.
API Architect	Your role is that of an API architect. Help mentor the engineer by providing guidance, support, and working code.
Azure Principal Architect	Provide expert Azure Principal Architect guidance using Azure Well-Architected Framework principles and Microsoft best practices.
Azure SaaS Architect	Provide expert Azure SaaS Architect guidance focusing on multitenant applications using Azure Well-Architected SaaS principles and Microsoft best practices.
Azure AVM Bicep mode	Create, update, or review Azure IaC in Bicep using Azure Verified Modules (AVM).
Azure AVM Terraform mode	Create, update, or review Azure IaC in Terraform using Azure Verified Modules (AVM).
Clojure Interactive Programming with Backseat Driver	Expert Clojure pair programmer with REPL-first methodology, architectural oversight, and interactive problem-solving. Enforces quality standards, prevents workarounds, and develops solutions incrementally through live REPL evaluation before file modifications.
Critical Thinking Mode	Challenge assumptions and encourage critical thinking to ensure the best possible solution and outcomes.
C#/.NET Janitor	Perform janitorial tasks on C#/.NET code including cleanup, modernization, and tech debt remediation.
Debug	Debug your application to find and fix a bug
Demonstrate Understanding	Validate user understanding of code, design patterns, and implementation details through guided questioning.
Developer Flow for GPT 4.1: Autonomous Coding Agent	Developer Flow for GPT 4.1
Developer Flow for GPT-5: Autonomous Coding Agent
Developer Flow for Claude Sonnet 4: Autonomous Coding Agent
Electron Code Review	Code Review Mode tailored for Electron app with Node.js backend (main), Angular frontend (render), and native integration layer (e.g., AppleScript, shell, or native tooling). Services in other repos are not reviewed here.
Expert .NET software engineer	Provide expert .NET software engineering guidance using modern software design patterns.
Expert React Frontend Engineer	Provide expert React frontend engineering guidance using modern TypeScript and design patterns.
Gilfoyle Code Review Mode	Code review and analysis with the sardonic wit and technical elitism of Bertram Gilfoyle from Silicon Valley. Prepare for brutal honesty about your code.
Implementation Plan Generation Mode	Generate an implementation plan for new features or refactoring existing code.
Universal Janitor	Perform janitorial tasks on any codebase including cleanup, simplification, and tech debt remediation.
Mentor	Help mentor the engineer by providing guidance and support.
Meta Agentic Project Scaffold	Meta agentic project creation assistant to help users create and manage project workflows effectively.
Microsoft Learn Contributor	Microsoft Learn Contributor chatmode for editing and writing Microsoft Learn documentation following Microsoft Writing Style Guide and authoring best practices.
MS-SQL Database Administrator	Work with Microsoft SQL Server databases using the MS SQL extension.
Plan Mode - Strategic Planning & Architecture Assistant	Strategic planning and architecture assistant focused on thoughtful analysis before implementation. Helps developers understand codebases, clarify requirements, and develop comprehensive implementation strategies.
Planning	Generate an implementation plan for new features or refactoring existing code.
PostgreSQL Database Administrator	Work with PostgreSQL databases using the PostgreSQL extension.
Create PRD Chat Mode	Generate a comprehensive Product Requirements Document (PRD) in Markdown, detailing user stories, acceptance criteria, technical considerations, and metrics. Optionally create GitHub issues upon user confirmation.
Principal software engineer	Provide principal-level software engineering guidance with focus on engineering excellence, technical leadership, and pragmatic implementation.
Prompt Engineer	A specialized chat mode for analyzing and improving prompts. Every user input is treated as a propt to be improved. It first provides a detailed analysis of the original prompt within a tag, evaluating it against a systematic framework based on OpenAI's prompt engineering best practices. Following the analysis, it generates a new, improved prompt.
Refine Requirement or Issue Chat Mode	Refine the requirement or issue with Acceptance Criteria, Technical Considerations, Edge Cases, and NFRs
Technical spike research mode	Systematically research and validate technical spike documents through exhaustive investigation and controlled experimentation.
Rust Beast Mode	Rust GPT-4.1 Coding Beast Mode for VS Code
Semantic Kernel .NET	Create, update, refactor, explain or work with code using the .NET version of Semantic Kernel.
Semantic Kernel Python	Create, update, refactor, explain or work with code using the Python version of Semantic Kernel.
Idea Generator	Brainstorm and develop new application ideas through fun, interactive questioning until ready for specification creation.
Software Engineer Agent v1	Expert-level software engineering agent. Deliver production-ready, maintainable code. Execute systematically and specification-driven. Document comprehensively. Operate autonomously and adaptively.
Specification	Generate or update specification documents for new or existing functionality.
Technical Debt Remediation Plan	Generate technical debt remediation plans for code, tests, and documentation.
voidBeast_GPT41Enhanced 1.0 - Elite Developer AI Assistant	4.1 voidBeast_GPT41Enhanced 1.0 : a advanced autonomous developer agent, designed for elite full-stack development with enhanced multi-mode capabilities. This latest evolution features sophisticated mode detection, comprehensive research capabilities, and never-ending problem resolution. Plan/Act/Deep Research/Analyzer/Checkpoints(Memory)/Prompt Generator Modes.
Wg Code Alchemist	Ask WG Code Alchemist to transform your code with Clean Code principles and SOLID design
Wg Code Sentinel	Ask WG Code Sentinel to review your code for security issues.

Custom Chat Modes in workspace usage

To use a chat mode:

Copy it from the chatmodes folder in this repository to your workspace or user .vscode/chatmodes/ folder.
In VS Code, select your custom chat mode from the chat mode dropdown.

🔌 MCP Servers

Sample MCP (Model Context Protocol) server configurations can be found in the mcp/ folder.

MCP servers extend GitHub Copilot agents with external tools, resources, and prompts for specialized tasks.

Asset Types Overview

Asset Type	Description	Availability	Configuration
Custom Instructions	Language-specific guidelines that apply to file types (e.g., C# files)	VS Code & VS	User & Workspace
Prompt Files	Reusable, standalone prompts for specific tasks with optional variables	VS Code only	User & Workspace
Custom Chat Modes	Predefined instructions and tools for specialized workflows and contexts	VS Code only	User & Workspace
MCP Servers	External service integrations via Model Context Protocol for enhanced functionality	VS Code & VS	User & Workspace

Copilot Features Comparison Table

Feature Name	Description	VS Code/VS Support	Configuration Level
Custom Code Generation Instructions	Code generation instructions for code generation tasks.	VS Code only	User & Workspace
Prompt Files	Prompt files are reusable prompts for common tasks.	VS Code only	User & Workspace
Custom Chat Modes	Custom chat modes combine instructions and tools for specific workflows.	VS Code only	User & Workspace
MCP Servers	MCP Servers enable Copilot to call external services via Model Context Protocol.	VS Code & VS	User & Workspace

📚 Additional Resources

VS Code Copilot Customization Documentation - Official Microsoft documentation
GitHub Copilot Chat Documentation - Complete chat feature guide
Custom Chat Modes - Advanced chat configuration
VS Code Settings - General VS Code configuration guide

🛠️ Development Configuration

This repository uses various configuration files to ensure consistent code style and avoid issues with line endings:

.editorconfig - Defines coding styles across different editors and IDEs
.gitattributes - Ensures consistent line endings in text files
.vscode/settings.json - VS Code-specific settings for this repository
.vscode/extensions.json - Recommended VS Code extensions

💡 Note: All markdown files in this repository use LF line endings (Unix-style) to avoid mixed line endings issues. The repository is configured to automatically handle line endings conversion.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🤝 Code of Conduct

Please note that this project is released with a Contributor Code of Conduct. By participating in this project you agree to abide by its terms.

™️ Trademarks

This project may contain trademarks or logos for projects, products, or services. Authorized use of Microsoft trademarks or logos is subject to and must follow Microsoft's Trademark & Brand Guidelines. Use of Microsoft trademarks or logos in modified versions of this project must not cause confusion or imply Microsoft sponsorship. Any use of third-party trademarks or logos are subject to those third-party's policies.

github-copilot-assets-library

Links

README