# Agent Instruction Files

Generates tailored AI agent instruction files for a repository and its areas.

- Repository: https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot (40669 stars)
- Category: AI and agents
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-30
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill acreadiness-generate-instructions -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill acreadiness-generate-instructions -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill acreadiness-generate-instructions -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill acreadiness-generate-instructions -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Generate tailored AI agent instruction files via AgentRC instructions command. Produces .github/copilot-instructions.md (default, recommended for Copilot in VS Code) plus optional per-area .instructions.md files with applyTo globs for monorepos. Use after running /acreadiness-assess to close gaps in the AI Tooling pillar.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# /acreadiness-generate-instructions, write AI agent instructions

Use this skill whenever the user wants to **create**, **regenerate**, or **refresh** their custom instructions for AI coding agents (Copilot, Claude, etc.). This is the *Generate* step in AgentRC's **Measure → Generate → Maintain** loop and the single highest-leverage action for the **AI Tooling** pillar.

## Output options

VS Code recognises several instruction file types, AgentRC generates the most common ones:

| File | Scope | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| `.github/copilot-instructions.md` | Always-on, whole workspace | **Default**, VS Code Copilot's native instruction file |
| `AGENTS.md` | Always-on, whole workspace | Multi-agent repos (Copilot + Claude + others) |
| `.github/instructions/*.instructions.md` | Scoped by `applyTo` glob | Per-area / per-language rules in monorepos |
| `CLAUDE.md` | Claude-specific | Add via `--claude-md` (nested only) |

## Strategies

- **`flat`** *(default)*, single `.github/copilot-instructions.md` at the chosen path. Simple, easy to review.
- **`nested`**, hub at `.github/copilot-instructions.md` + per-topic detail files at `.github/instructions/<topic>.instructions.md`, each with an `applyTo` glob so VS Code only loads the topic when it's relevant. Better for large or multi-stack repos.

> **Why `.github/instructions/` and not `.agents/`?** AgentRC's default nested layout writes to `.agents/`, which is the right home for *agent-agnostic* repos (Copilot + Claude + Cursor reading `AGENTS.md`). For VS Code Copilot specifically, the native location is `.github/instructions/` with `applyTo` frontmatter, that's what Copilot auto-discovers. This skill rewrites AgentRC's nested output to the VS Code-native location whenever the main output is `.github/copilot-instructions.md`. If you instead chose `--output AGENTS.md`, nested keeps AgentRC's default `.agents/` layout.

The rest: https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/HEAD/skills/acreadiness-generate-instructions/SKILL.md