vscode-customization

name	vscode-customization
description	VS Code customization: agent configuration, skills, hooks, prompts, workspace instructions, file patterns, and applyTo rules. Use when creating or editing .instructions.md, .prompt.md, .agent.md, SKILL.md, AGENTS.md, copilot-instructions.md, or configuring VS Code agent behavior. Triggers: customize copilot, agent instructions, slash commands, context patterns.
user-invocable	true

VS Code Agent Customization

When to Use This Skill

• Creating or editing agent skills (SKILL.md)
• Setting up workspace instructions (copilot-instructions.md)
• Creating custom agents (.agent.md)
• Configuring file-specific instructions (*.instructions.md)
• Setting up hooks for automation
• Creating prompt templates (*.prompt.md)
• Configuring MCP servers
• Debugging why instructions aren't being applied

Skill Locations

Scope	Path
Project skills	.github/skills/<name>/
Project agents	.github/agents/<name>/
User prompts	{{VSCODE_USER_PROMPTS_FOLDER}}/

File Types

SKILL.md (Skills)

Bundled on-demand workflows with scripts and assets.

---
name: skill-name
description: 'Clear description of when to use'
user-invocable: true        # Show as slash command
disable-model-invocation: false  # Auto-load when relevant
---

.instructions.md (File Instructions)

Apply to specific files via applyTo patterns.

---
name: file-instructions
applyTo:
  - "**/*.cs"
  - "**/*.json"
---

.prompt.md (Prompts)

Parameterized templates for specific tasks.

.agent.md (Custom Agents)

Subagents with specialized tool restrictions and prompts.

copilot-instructions.md (Workspace Instructions)

Always-on instructions for the entire workspace.

applyTo Patterns

Glob patterns that control when file instructions activate:

Pattern	Matches
**/*.cs	All C# files
**/*.csproj	Project files only
src/**/*.ts	TS files in src folder
**/test/**	Anything in test folders

Creating Custom Agents

---
name: code-reviewer
description: 'Specialized code review agent'
tools:
  allow:
    - read_file
    - glob
    - grep
  deny:
    - bash
    - write_file
---

Hooks

Automation at agent lifecycle points (stored in .github/hooks/).

Best Practices

1. Progressive loading: Keep SKILL.md under 500 lines
2. Keyword-rich descriptions: Enable discovery by the model
3. Self-contained skills: Include all procedural knowledge
4. Consistent naming: lowercase-with-hyphens

Anti-Patterns

• Vague descriptions ("A helpful skill")
• Monolithic files instead of references
• Name mismatch between folder and SKILL.md
• Missing step-by-step procedures

Resources

• VS Code Agent Skills
• Workspace Instructions
• Custom Agents