Adding repository custom instructions for GitHub Copilot

Additionally, you can create prompt files. With prompt files, you can specify common prompt instructions and relevant context in a Markdown file (*.prompt.md), that you can then reuse in your chat prompts. Prompt files are only available in VS Code.

• The Use Instruction Files option must be enabled in your settings. This is enabled by default. See Enabling or disabling repository custom instructions later in this article.

Wenn du die .github/copilot-instructions.md-Datei gespeichert hast, können die darin enthaltenen Anweisungen von Copilot Chat genutzt werden. Die vollständigen Anweisungen werden automatisch den Anfragen hinzugefügt, die du in der Copilot Chat-Ansicht oder dem Inlinechat eingibst.

Benutzerdefinierte Anweisungen werden nicht in der Chat-Ansicht oder dem Inlinechat angezeigt. Du kannst jedoch in der Referenzliste einer Antwort in der Chat-Ansicht nachsehen, ob sie von Copilot verwendet werden. Wenn dem Prompt, der an das Modell übermittelt wurde, benutzerdefinierte Anweisungen hinzugefügt wurden, dient die .github/copilot-instructions.md-Datei als Referenz. Du kannst auf die Referenz klicken, um die Datei zu öffnen.

1. Open the Setting editor by using the keyboard shortcut Command+, (Mac) / Ctrl+, (Linux/Windows).
2. Type instruction file in the search box.
3. Select or clear the checkbox under Code Generation: Use Instruction Files.

About prompt files

Prompt files let you build and share reusable prompt instructions with additional context. A prompt file is a Markdown file that mimics the existing format of writing prompts in Copilot Chat (for example, Rewrite #file:x.ts). This allows blending natural language instructions, additional context, and even linking to other prompt files as dependencies.

While custom instructions help to add codebase-wide context to each AI workflow, prompt files let you add instructions to a specific chat interaction.

Common use cases include:

• Code generation. Create reusable prompts for components, tests, or migrations (for example, React forms, or API mocks).
• Domain expertise. Share specialized knowledge through prompts, such as security practices, or compliance checks.
• Team collaboration. Document patterns and guidelines with references to specs and documentation.
• Onboarding. Create step-by-step guides for complex processes or project-specific patterns.

Prompt file examples

The following examples demonstrate how to use prompt files.

• react-form.prompt.md - documents a reusable task for generating a form.

  Your goal is to generate a new React form component.
  
  Ask for the form name and fields if not provided.
  
  Requirements for the form:
  - Use form design system components: [design-system/Form.md](../docs/design-system/Form.md)
  - Use `react-hook-form` for form state management:
    - Always define TypeScript types for your form data
    - Prefer *uncontrolled* components using register
    - Use `defaultValues` to prevent unnecessary rerenders
  - Use `yup` for validation:
    - Create reusable validation schemas in separate files
    - Use TypeScript types to ensure type safety
    - Customize UX-friendly validation rules
  

• security-api.prompt.md - documents reusable security practices for REST APIs, which can be used to do security reviews of REST APIs.

  Secure REST API review:
  - Ensure all endpoints are protected by authentication and authorization
  - Validate all user inputs and sanitize data
  - Implement rate limiting and throttling
  - Implement logging and monitoring for security events
  …
  

Using prompt files

To enable prompt files, configure the chat.promptFiles VS Code setting. Set it to true or use the { "/path/to/folder": boolean } notation to specify a different path. Relative paths are resolved from the root folder(s) of your workspace, and the default value of .github/prompts is used if no other path is provided. For more detailed instructions, see GitHub Copilot in VS Code settings reference in the Visual Studio Code documentation.

1. Create a .prompt.md file in the .github/prompts directory of your workspace.

2. Write prompt instructions by using Markdown formatting.

   Reference additional workspace files as Markdown links ([index](../index.ts)), or as #file:../index.ts references within the prompt file. You can also reference other .prompt.md files.

3. Select the attach icon, then select Prompt... and choose the prompt file to attach it in Copilot Chat or Copilot Edits.

4. Optionally, attach additional context files required for the task.

5. Send the chat prompt.

   • For reusable tasks, send the prompt without any additional instructions.
   • Include additional instructions to provide more context for the task at hand.