GitHub Copilot Instructions Pack: 97 .instructions.md Files + Checker

Ready-made GitHub Copilot custom instructions for real stacks, plus a checker that tells you why Copilot is ignoring yours.

• 97 path-specific .instructions.md files with applyTo globs: 7 core (workflow, commits, tests, security, review, docs, errors), 17 languages/tools (TypeScript, React, Tailwind, Node, Python, Go, Rust, Java/Spring, Flutter, SQL migrations, Docker, GitHub Actions, Terraform, ...) and deep packs for Next.js 16 (11), Django 6 (10), Rails 8 (9), Supabase (8), Laravel 13 (8), FastAPI (7), SvelteKit 3 (7), Expo SDK 58 (6) and Go 1.27 (7), each checked against the framework's release notes in November 2026.
• 8 prompt files (.github/prompts/*.prompt.md): write-tests, fix-failing-test, review-changes, security-review, commit-message, plan-feature, explain-code, generate-instructions.
• A starter .github/copilot-instructions.md (build/test/validate, layout, review focus) and a prompt that fills it in from your repo.
• copilot_kit.py: install by detected stack, lint your setup, and show which files apply to a path. Python 3.9+, no dependencies.

python3 tools/copilot_kit.py detect /path/to/repo
python3 tools/copilot_kit.py install /path/to/repo --auto --dry-run     # preview
python3 tools/copilot_kit.py install /path/to/repo --auto --prompts --base
python3 tools/copilot_kit.py check /path/to/repo

Deep stacks install into a subfolder (.github/instructions/rails/rails-models.instructions.md); Copilot reads subfolders of .github/instructions. When a deep pack covers a framework, its lighter one-file version is skipped. Existing files are never overwritten without --force.

which REPO PATH lists the repository-wide file plus every .instructions.md whose applyTo matches that path.

• .github/copilot-instructions.md applies to every request in the repo; .instructions.md files apply when the file being worked on matches applyTo; both are used together.
• On GitHub.com, path-specific files are used by Copilot cloud agent and Copilot code review; VS Code also uses them, and in Local sessions a description lets the agent load a file by task relevance.
• Copilot code review removed its 4,000-character limit on instruction files (June 12, 2026). Keep files focused anyway.
• Copilot also reads AGENTS.md (nearest file wins). If you use both, keep them consistent. Converting from Cursor? The free Cursor Rules Converter writes all of these: https://youraitools.co/marketplace/cursor-rules-converter

• instructions/<group>/*.instructions.md and instructions/index.json
• prompts/*.prompt.md, templates/copilot-instructions.md
• tools/copilot_kit.py (+ detect.py, rulesfmt.py), tools/demo.sh
• examples/messy-repo/ a repo with 7 common mistakes for the checker
• skills/copilot-instructions/ so Claude Code can run the kit (claude --plugin-dir ./copilot-instructions-pack)
• tests/ 11 tests (every shipped file valid, version facts present, install plan, checker findings)

• Instructions guide Copilot; they do not guarantee it follows them. Review its output as usual.
• Framework facts were checked in November 2026; when you upgrade a framework, re-read the matching files.
• applyTo matching in check/which approximates GitHub's glob matcher for common patterns.
• Not affiliated with or endorsed by GitHub or Microsoft.