| name | new-custom-agent |
| description | Create new custom agent definition. Triggers on: 'create agent', 'new agent'. |
New Custom Agent
Guide for creating a new specialized agent in .github/agents/.
Steps
1. Define the Agent
Determine the agent's:
- Name: kebab-case identifier (e.g.,
performance-analyst)
- Description: One-sentence summary of what this agent does
- Domain: What area of expertise it covers
2. Create the Agent File
Create .github/agents/NAME.agent.md with this structure:
---
name: Agent Name
description: One-sentence description of the agent's purpose
tools: ['editFiles', 'runCommand', 'search']
---
# Agent: Agent Name
## Role
[What this agent specializes in. Be specific about the domain and responsibilities.]
## Capabilities
- [Capability 1 — what it can do]
- [Capability 2 — what it can do]
- [Capability 3 — what it can do]
## Workflow
1. [Step 1 — how the agent approaches tasks]
2. [Step 2 — analysis or implementation phase]
3. [Step 3 — verification phase]
## Verification
Before claiming work is done, the agent must:
- [Verification step 1]
- [Verification step 2]
## Guidelines
- [Rule 1 — domain-specific constraint]
- [Rule 2 — quality standard]
- [Rule 3 — safety rule]
3. Register in AGENTS.md
Add the new agent to the Available Agents table in AGENTS.md:
| Agent Name | `@agent-name` | Brief description of use case |
4. Verify
- Confirm the agent file exists in
.github/agents/
- Confirm the AGENTS.md table is updated
- Test by invoking
@agent-name in a Copilot CLI session