Copilot Setup Audit

This skill provides comprehensive checklists and best practices for auditing a repository's GitHub Copilot customization setup.

When to use this skill

• •Setting up Copilot customizations in a new repository
• •Reviewing an existing setup for improvements
• •Migrating from legacy patterns (chat modes → agents)
• •Ensuring team-wide consistency
• •Onboarding new team members to the Copilot setup

Audit Checklist

1. Directory Structure

Check for correct directory structure:

.github/
├── agents/                    # Custom agents
│   └── *.agent.md
├── prompts/                   # Prompt templates
│   └── *.prompt.md
├── instructions/              # Scoped instructions
│   └── *.instructions.md
├── skills/                    # Agent skills
│   └── */SKILL.md
├── copilot-instructions.md    # Workspace-wide instructions
└── (optional) AGENTS.md       # Alternative: root-level agent instructions
.vscode/
└── settings.json              # Workspace settings

Directory Checks

2. Custom Instructions

Files to check

Instruction Quality Checks

• • Instructions are concise and actionable
• • No duplicate rules across instruction files
• • applyTo globs are specific (not overly broad)
• • Instructions reference relevant tools with #tool: syntax where helpful
• • No deprecated settings used (codeGeneration.instructions, testGeneration.instructions)

Recommended Instructions by Project Type

3. Custom Agents

Agent File Checks

• • All agents have .agent.md extension
• • Agents are in .github/agents/ directory
• • YAML frontmatter is valid
• • description is present and descriptive
• • name is set (recommended)
• • tools list is explicit (avoid giving all tools)
• • No deprecated .chatmode.md files exist

Recommended Agents

Consider creating agents for these common workflows:

Agent Quality Checks

• • Agents have clear, focused purposes
• • Tool lists are minimal and intentional
• • Handoffs defined for workflow agents
• • infer: false set for agents that shouldn't be used as subagents

4. Prompt Files

Prompt File Checks

• • All prompts have .prompt.md extension
• • Prompts are in .github/prompts/ directory
• • YAML frontmatter is valid
• • description helps users understand the prompt
• • agent is specified when needed
• • tools list matches the prompt's needs
• • Variables use correct syntax: ${input:name}, ${file}, etc.

Recommended Prompts

Consider creating prompts for repetitive tasks:

5. Agent Skills

Skill Checks

• • Skills use SKILL.md filename
• • Skills are in .github/skills/<name>/ directories
• • YAML frontmatter has name and description
• • Description is specific (helps Copilot decide when to load)
• • Supporting files are referenced with relative paths

Recommended Skills

Consider creating skills for:

6. Settings Configuration

Workspace Settings (.vscode/settings.json)

Check for recommended settings:

{
  // Enable instruction files
  "github.copilot.chat.codeGeneration.useInstructionFiles": true,
  
  // Enable AGENTS.md support
  "chat.useAgentsMdFile": true,
  
  // Enable Agent Skills (preview)
  "chat.useAgentSkills": true,
  
  // Enable MCP servers
  "chat.mcp.enabled": true,
  
  // Optional experimental features
  "chat.useNestedAgentsMdFiles": true,
  "chat.customAgentInSubagent.enabled": true
}

Setting Checks

• • Instruction files enabled (useInstructionFiles: true)
• • Experimental features enabled as needed
• • No conflicting or deprecated settings
• • Settings committed to repo (shared with team)

7. Legacy/Deprecated Patterns

Files to migrate or remove

Deprecated Settings

8. Security & Best Practices

Security Checks

• • No sensitive data in instruction files
• • Terminal commands in prompts are safe and scoped
• • MCP server configurations are reviewed
• • Shared skills are audited before use

Version Control

• • All customization files are committed
• • .gitattributes marks *.md files appropriately
• • Sensitive configurations in .gitignore if needed

Audit Report Template

# Copilot Setup Audit Report

**Repository**: [name]
**Date**: [date]
**Auditor**: [name/tool]

## Summary

| Category | Status | Score |
|----------|--------|-------|
| Directory Structure | ✅/⚠️/❌ | X/Y |
| Instructions | ✅/⚠️/❌ | X/Y |
| Custom Agents | ✅/⚠️/❌ | X/Y |
| Prompt Files | ✅/⚠️/❌ | X/Y |
| Agent Skills | ✅/⚠️/❌ | X/Y |
| Settings | ✅/⚠️/❌ | X/Y |
| Legacy Patterns | ✅/⚠️/❌ | X/Y |
| Security | ✅/⚠️/❌ | X/Y |

## Findings

### Critical (must fix)
- 

### Warnings (should fix)
- 

### Suggestions (nice to have)
- 

## Recommended Actions

1. 
2. 
3. 

## Files to Create

- [ ] 
- [ ] 

## Files to Migrate

- [ ] 
- [ ] 

Reference Documentation

• •Customization Overview
• •Custom Instructions
• •Custom Agents
• •Prompt Files
• •Agent Skills
• •Awesome Copilot