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Skills

Skills

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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CrXVsMuJuQ

     

    GitHub Copilot Agent Skills are modular, reusable instruction sets that give Copilot specialized capabilities without cluttering its global memory. Think of them as "plugins" you write yourself using Markdown and scripts.

    Here is a quick guide to setting them up and using them in VS Code.

    1. Enable the Feature

    As of early 2026, Agent Skills are often in a "preview" or experimental state. To ensure they are active:

    1. Open Settings (Ctrl + , or Cmd + ,).

    2. Search for chat.useAgentSkills.

    3. Check the box to enable it.

    2. Create the Skill Structure

    Skills are stored in specific directories. Copilot looks for them in two places:

    • Per Project: .github/skills/ (in your workspace root).

    • Global (Personal): ~/.copilot/skills/ (in your home directory).

    Create a subdirectory for your specific skill. For example:

    .github/skills/ui-tester/

    3. Define the Skill (SKILL.md)

    Inside your skill folder, you must create a file exactly named SKILL.md. It requires YAML frontmatter to tell Copilot what the skill does.

    --- name: ui-tester description: Helps write Playwright tests for modern React components following accessibility best practices. --- # Instructions When I ask to "test this component," you should: 1. Check for `aria-label` and `role` attributes. 2. Generate a Playwright test file. 3. Use `locateByRole` instead of CSS selectors where possible.

    4. Add Optional Resources

    You can include scripts or templates in the same folder. Copilot will only "load" these into its context when it decides it needs them for the task, keeping your chat fast and efficient.

    Example folder structure:

    .github/skills/ui-tester/ ├── SKILL.md ├── test-template.js └── common-assertions.md

    5. Using Your Skill in Chat

    Once saved, you can trigger your skill in the Copilot Chat view (Ctrl + Alt + I):

    • Explicitly: Type /ui-tester followed by your request.

    • Automatically: Simply ask, "Help me test the login button." Because your skill description mentions "test" and "React," Copilot will automatically "discover" and load your ui-tester instructions.

    Pro-Tip: The Three-Level Loading System

    Copilot handles skills efficiently to save your context window:

    1. Discovery: It only reads names and descriptions of all skills initially.

    2. Instruction Loading: It loads the SKILL.md body only when the skill is triggered.

    3. Resource Access: It reads the extra scripts/files only if it mentions them during the work.