Instruction Creator

This skill guides the creation of effective custom instruction files that help GitHub Copilot follow project conventions and domain-specific logic.

Environment Detection

Before executing any skill operations, determine the active environment and set the skills_source path:

Environment Identification

# Detect environment
if os.name == 'nt':  # Windows
    # Could be native Windows or VS Code running in Windows
    skills_source = os.path.expanduser(r'~\.copilot\skills')
elif 'WSL_DISTRO_NAME' in os.environ or os.path.exists('/mnt/c'):
    # Running inside WSL
    skills_source = os.path.expanduser('~/.copilot/skills')
else:
    # Generic Unix/Linux
    skills_source = os.path.expanduser('~/.copilot/skills')

Using skills_source Throughout

Once detected, use skills_source as the base path when referencing skill files:

• Skill Path: {skills_source}/<skill-name>/SKILL.md
• Script Path: {skills_source}/<skill-name>/scripts/<script>.py
• Reference Path: {skills_source}/<skill-name>/references/<file>.md

Workflow

1. Detect Environment: Determine if running on Windows or WSL and set skills_source.

   import os
   skills_source = (os.path.expanduser(r'~\.copilot\skills')
                   if os.name == 'nt' and 'WSL_DISTRO_NAME' not in os.environ
                   else os.path.expanduser('~/.copilot/skills'))
   

2. Define Scope: Identify the purpose and the files the instructions should apply to (e.g., **/*.ts).

3. Initialize: Use the initialization script to create the boilerplate.

   # Auto-detect environment
   python3 init_instruction.py "my-new-instruction" \
       --description "Description here" \
       --applyTo "**/*.ext"
   
   # Or specify skills path explicitly
   python3 init_instruction.py "my-new-instruction" \
       --skills-path "~/.copilot/skills" \
       -o ./instructions
   

4. Draft Content: Follow the referenced guidelines to fill in the sections.

5. Use Templates: Refer to standard templates for structures in your environment.

6. Semantic Linking: Link to relevant Skills using runtime-resolved paths:

   To perform [Task], execute the [Skill Name](SKILL.md) from `{skills_source}/<skill-name>/`.
   

7. Validate: Test the instructions with Copilot to ensure they are clear and actionable.

Core Principles

• Policy Maker: Instructions define the "What" and "How" (decision logic and standards).
• The 4 Sections: Effective instructions include: Overview, Structure, Guidelines, and Resources.
• Concise & focused: Avoid fluff; use imperative language. Limit files to ~500 lines.
• Actionable: Provide concrete "Good" and "Bad" code examples and clear steps.
• Linked: Connect instructions to the skills that execute them and internal automation scripts.

Required Frontmatter

Every instruction file must include YAML frontmatter with the following fields:

---
description: 'Brief description of the instruction purpose and scope'
applyTo: 'glob pattern for target files (e.g., **/*.ts, **/*.py)'
---

Frontmatter Guidelines

• description: Single-quoted string, 1-500 characters, clearly stating the purpose.
• applyTo: Glob pattern(s) specifying which files these instructions apply to.
  • Single pattern: '**/*.ts'
  • Multiple patterns: '**/*.ts, **/*.tsx, **/*.js'
  • Specific files: 'src/**/*.py'
  • All files: '**'

File Structure

A well-structured instruction file should include these sections as applicable:

1. Title and Overview: Clear # title and short purpose statement.
2. Workflow: Step-by-step procedures (the “How”).
3. Semantic Links: Links to Skills that execute tasks (the “Mechanism”).
4. Rules & Constraints: Decision logic and boundaries.
5. Best Practices: Recommended patterns and approaches.
6. Code Standards: Naming, formatting, style.
7. Common Patterns: Frequent implementations.
8. Security: Security considerations (if applicable).
9. Performance: Optimization guidance (if applicable).
10. Testing: Testing standards and verification steps (if applicable).

Writing Style

• Use clear, concise language.
• Write in imperative mood (“Use”, “Implement”, “Avoid”).
• Be specific and actionable.
• Avoid ambiguous terms like “should”, “might”, “possibly”.
• Use bullets and lists for readability.

Examples and Snippets

Provide labeled examples:

### Good Example
```language
// Recommended approach
code example here
```

### Bad Example
```language
// Avoid this pattern
code example here
```

Patterns to Avoid

• Overly verbose explanations.
• Outdated guidance.
• Abstract rules without concrete examples.
• Contradictory advice.
• Copy-paste from docs without added context.

Runtime Variables

When executing this skill, use these variables to reference paths dynamically:

Usage in References

## Workflow
1. Analyze requirements.
2. Execute Diataxis Skill from `{skills_source}/diataxis/SKILL.md`.
3. Validate output.

Usage in Scripts

import os
skills_source = os.path.expanduser(r'~\.copilot\skills') if os.name == 'nt' else os.path.expanduser('~/.copilot/skills')
skill_script = os.path.join(skills_source, 'instruction-creator', 'scripts', 'init_instruction.py')

Validation Checklist

1. Test with Copilot on real prompts.
2. Verify code examples compile or run.
3. Confirm applyTo matches intended files.
4. Verify skills_source detection works in target environment.

Maintenance

• Review instructions when dependencies or frameworks change.
• Refresh examples to match current best practices.
• Remove deprecated patterns.
• Keep glob patterns aligned with project structure.
• Update environment detection logic if new platforms are supported.

Resources

• Guidelines: Refer to references/guidelines.md in the instruction-creator skill folder.
• Templates: Refer to references/templates.md in the instruction-creator skill folder.
• Scripts: Use scripts/init_instruction.py from the instruction-creator skill folder.

Note: All references are relative to {skills_source}/instruction-creator/.