Sync Copilot Assets

Synchronize GitHub Copilot customization assets from this repository to multiple target repositories using a cross-platform Node.js script.

When to Use This Skill

•You want to distribute Copilot assets to multiple projects
•You need to update existing assets across workspaces
•You're maintaining a central repository of Copilot customizations
•Keywords: sync, distribute, copy, propagate, assets, agents, instructions, prompts, skills

⚠️ Critical Warning

This sync performs FULL OVERWRITE synchronization. Files in target repositories that don't exist in source WILL BE DELETED. Always run dry-run first.

Prerequisites

•Node.js 18.x or later (check with node --version)
•No additional dependencies or npm packages needed
•Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux

Configuration

Before syncing, configure your target repositories in sync-targets.txt at the repository root:

txt

# One absolute path per line
/Users/username/projects/project-alpha
/Users/username/projects/project-beta

See sync-targets-example.txt for a complete example.

Step-by-Step Workflow

Step 1: Verify Configuration

Check that target repositories are configured:

bash

cat sync-targets.txt

If empty or only comments, add target paths first.

Step 2: Preview Changes (Dry-Run)

ALWAYS run dry-run first:

bash

node .github/skills/sync-copilot-assets/scripts/sync-copilot-assets.mjs --dry-run

Review the output to see what would be added, updated, or deleted.

Step 3: Execute Sync

After confirming the dry-run output, run the actual sync:

bash

node .github/skills/sync-copilot-assets/scripts/sync-copilot-assets.mjs

Step 4: Commit Changes in Targets

After syncing, commit changes in each target repository:

bash

cd /path/to/target-repo
git add .github/
git commit -m "chore: sync Copilot assets from copilot-resources"
git push

Script Options

Flag	Description
`-n`, `--dry-run`	Preview changes without modifying any files
`-q`, `--quiet`	Suppress progress output (errors still shown)
`-h`, `--help`	Display detailed usage information
`-v`, `--version`	Show script version

Synced Asset Directories

Directory	Contents
`.github/agents/`	Agent definition files (`.agent.md`)
`.github/instructions/`	Instruction files (`.instructions.md`)
`.github/prompts/`	Prompt files (`.prompt.md`)
`.github/skills/`	Skill folders with resources

Output Indicators

Symbol	Meaning
`+`	File added (new)
`↻`	File updated (overwritten)
`-`	File deleted (removed from target)

Exit Codes

Code	Meaning
`0`	All targets synced successfully
`1`	Partial success (some targets failed/skipped)
`2`	Critical failure (missing source, invalid config)

Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Solution
"Configuration file not found"	`sync-targets.txt` missing	Create the file with target paths
"Target path does not exist"	Repo not cloned or wrong path	Verify path exists; clone repo if needed
"Permission denied"	No write access to target	Check filesystem permissions
"Node.js X.x required"	Node.js version too old	Update Node.js to 18.x or later
"Source directories not found"	Running from wrong directory	Run from repository root

Recovering from Mistakes

If you accidentally synced unwanted changes:

bash

cd /path/to/target-repo
git checkout -- .github/

Or reset to previous commit:

bash

git reset --hard HEAD~1

Cross-Platform Notes

Works identically on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Path formats in sync-targets.txt:

•Windows: C:\Users\username\projects\repo or C:/Users/username/projects/repo
•macOS: /Users/username/projects/repo
•Linux: /home/username/projects/repo

References

•Sync Script
•Example Configuration