GitHub Copilot

Set up GitHub Copilot with project-specific instructions

GitHub Copilot generates better code when it understands your project's conventions. Without context, it suggests generic patterns that don't match your stack or coding style. The fix is .github/copilot-instructions.md — a project-level instructions file that Copilot reads automatically. Caliber generates it for you in one command.

What is copilot-instructions.md?

GitHub Copilot reads .github/copilot-instructions.md from your repository and includes it as context in every Copilot Chat conversation and inline code suggestion. This file tells Copilot how your project works:

• Coding conventions — naming patterns, file organization, import style, error handling approaches, and formatting preferences
• Architecture overview — project structure, key directories, data flow, and how components connect
• Tech stack details — frameworks, libraries, versions, and configuration specifics that Copilot should know about
• Patterns and anti-patterns — preferred approaches, common pitfalls to avoid, and project-specific rules

Why manual setup falls short

Writing copilot-instructions.md by hand means auditing your entire codebase to document conventions, architecture, and patterns. Most teams skip it entirely or write a few lines that barely scratch the surface. Even when someone writes a thorough file, it goes stale as the project evolves. The result: Copilot keeps suggesting code that doesn't match your project's actual patterns.

Generate copilot-instructions.md with Caliber

Caliber scans your codebase and generates a comprehensive copilot-instructions.md automatically:

1. 1Run bootstrap — navigate to your project and run npx @rely-ai/caliber bootstrap. Caliber analyzes your source files, dependencies, configs, and directory structure
2. 2Review the output — Caliber creates .github/copilot-instructions.md with your project's conventions, architecture, and patterns tailored for Copilot
3. 3Commit to git — the file lives in .github/ so every developer on your team gets the same Copilot context automatically
4. 4Keep it updated — run caliber refresh as your project evolves to keep instructions in sync with your codebase

What Caliber generates for Copilot

• copilot-instructions.md — project conventions, architecture, tech stack, key files, and coding patterns formatted for GitHub Copilot's context system
• Consistent with other tools — the same codebase scan also generates configs for Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf, so all your AI tools share the same project understanding
• Team-ready — committed to git so every developer gets Copilot context without any manual setup

Caliber generates configs for all major AI coding tools from a single scan — Claude Code setup, Cursor setup, Windsurf setup, and more. Learn about unified AI setup across all your tools.

Frequently asked questions