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repository context and chat history, avoiding duplicates with existing instructions in this repository, and identifying outdated instructions that need updates.From its SKILL.md
npx -y skills add archubbuck/workspace-architect --skill suggest-awesome-github-copilot-instructionsAssembled from the repository path, not quoted from the project. Check it against their README if it does not work.
One thing to look at
- 18 stars18 stars. Stars are a popularity signal and not a quality one, but at this level it is likely that nobody has read this closely except its author, and you would be relying on your own review.
SKILL.md
7.5 KB, ~1.4k tokens by cl100k_base, as published. Nobody here has run it
Suggest Awesome GitHub Copilot Instructions
Analyze current repository context and suggest relevant copilot-instruction files from the GitHub awesome-copilot repository that are not already available in this repository.
Process
- Fetch Available Instructions: Extract instruction list and descriptions from awesome-copilot README.instructions.md. Must use
#fetchtool. - Scan Local Instructions: Discover existing instruction files in
.github/instructions/folder - Extract Descriptions: Read front matter from local instruction files to get descriptions and
applyTopatterns - Fetch Remote Versions: For each local instruction, fetch the corresponding version from awesome-copilot repository using raw GitHub URLs (e.g.,
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/github/awesome-copilot/main/instructions/<filename>) - Compare Versions: Compare local instruction content with remote versions to identify:
- Instructions that are up-to-date (exact match)
- Instructions that are outdated (content differs)
- Key differences in outdated instructions (description, applyTo patterns, content)
- Analyze Context: Review chat history, repository files, and current project needs
- Compare Existing: Check against instructions already available in this repository
- Match Relevance: Compare available instructions against identified patterns and requirements
- Present Options: Display relevant instructions with descriptions, rationale, and availability status including outdated instructions
- Validate: Ensure suggested instructions would add value not already covered by existing instructions
- Output: Provide structured table with suggestions, descriptions, and links to both awesome-copilot instructions and similar local instructions AWAIT user request to proceed with installation or updates of specific instructions. DO NOT INSTALL OR UPDATE UNLESS DIRECTED TO DO SO.
- Download/Update Assets: For requested instructions, automatically:
- Download new instructions to
.github/instructions/folder - Update outdated instructions by replacing with latest version from awesome-copilot
- Do NOT adjust content of the files
- Use
#fetchtool to download assets, but may usecurlusing#runInTerminaltool to ensure all content is retrieved - Use
#todostool to track progress
- Download new instructions to
Context Analysis Criteria
🔍 Repository Patterns:
- Programming languages used (.cs, .js, .py, .ts, etc.)
- Framework indicators (ASP.NET, React, Azure, Next.js, etc.)
- Project types (web apps, APIs, libraries, tools)
- Development workflow requirements (testing, CI/CD, deployment)
🗨️ Chat History Context:
- Recent discussions and pain points
- Technology-specific questions
- Coding standards discussions
- Development workflow requirements
Output Format
Display analysis results in structured table comparing awesome-copilot instructions with existing repository instructions:
| Awesome-Copilot Instruction | Description | Already Installed | Similar Local Instruction | Suggestion Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| blazor.instructions.md | Blazor development guidelines | ✅ Yes | blazor.instructions.md | Already covered by existing Blazor instructions |
| reactjs.instructions.md | ReactJS development standards | ❌ No | None | Would enhance React development with established patterns |
| java.instructions.md | Java development best practices | ⚠️ Outdated | java.instructions.md | applyTo pattern differs: remote uses '**/*.java' vs local '*.java' - Update recommended |
Local Instructions Discovery Process
- List all
*.instructions.mdfiles in theinstructions/directory - For each discovered file, read front matter to extract
descriptionandapplyTopatterns - Build comprehensive inventory of existing instructions with their applicable file patterns
- Use this inventory to avoid suggesting duplicates
Version Comparison Process
- For each local instruction file, construct the raw GitHub URL to fetch the remote version:
- Pattern:
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/github/awesome-copilot/main/instructions/<filename>
- Pattern:
- Fetch the remote version using the
#fetchtool - Compare entire file content (including front matter and body)
- Identify specific differences:
- Front matter changes (description, applyTo patterns)
- Content updates (guidelines, examples, best practices)
- Document key differences for outdated instructions
- Calculate similarity to determine if update is needed
File Structure Requirements
Based on GitHub documentation, copilot-instructions files should be:
- Repository-wide instructions:
.github/copilot-instructions.md(applies to entire repository) - Path-specific instructions:
.github/instructions/NAME.instructions.md(applies to specific file patterns viaapplyTofrontmatter) - Community instructions:
instructions/NAME.instructions.md(for sharing and distribution)
Front Matter Structure
Instructions files in awesome-copilot use this front matter format:
---
description: 'Brief description of what this instruction provides'
applyTo: '**/*.js,**/*.ts' # Optional: glob patterns for file matching
---
Requirements
- Use
githubRepotool to get content from awesome-copilot repository instructions folder - Scan local file system for existing instructions in
.github/instructions/directory - Read YAML front matter from local instruction files to extract descriptions and
applyTopatterns - Compare local instructions with remote versions to detect outdated instructions
- Compare against existing instructions in this repository to avoid duplicates
- Focus on gaps in current instruction library coverage
- Validate that suggested instructions align with repository's purpose and standards
- Provide clear rationale for each suggestion
- Include links to both awesome-copilot instructions and similar local instructions
- Clearly identify outdated instructions with specific differences noted
- Consider technology stack compatibility and project-specific needs
- Don't provide any additional information or context beyond the table and the analysis
Icons Reference
- ✅ Already installed and up-to-date
- ⚠️ Installed but outdated (update available)
- ❌ Not installed in repo
Update Handling
When outdated instructions are identified:
- Include them in the output table with ⚠️ status
- Document specific differences in the "Suggestion Rationale" column
- Provide recommendation to update with key changes noted
- When user requests update, replace entire local file with remote version
- Preserve file location in
.github/instructions/directory
What ships with it
Read from the repository
Just SKILL.md. No reference files, no scripts.
Gives 0 of the 12 instructions most context ai engineering skills give in ~1.4k tokens
Counted across 1,193 of the 1,976 authors here whose files we hold, read 2026-08-07
- Dispatch a fresh implementer subagent per taskin 48 of 1193, across 19 files
- Dispatch a final code reviewer after all tasksin 33 of 1193, across 8 files
- Provide full task text to the subagentin 30 of 1193, across 9 files
- Review spec compliance before code qualityin 27 of 1193, across 10 files
- Make the hook script executablein 26 of 1193, across 8 files
- Re-snapshot after navigation or DOM changesin 25 of 1193, across 19 files
- Read files before editing themin 22 of 1193, across 11 files
- Answer subagent questions before proceedingin 22 of 1193, across 7 files
- Mark task complete in TodoWrite after approvalin 22 of 1193, across 6 files
- Merge hook into existing settingsin 21 of 1193, across 3 files
- Ask if installation is global or projectin 20 of 1193, across 2 files
- Copy the hook script to target locationin 20 of 1193, across 2 files
Grouped from the skills themselves: near-identical wordings counted once, and counted by distinct author, so one author publishing three of these counts once. Length counted with cl100k_base; the agent that loads this file may tokenize it differently.