GitHub Copilot Project Setup Workflow

This skill provides a systematic, step-by-step workflow for setting up new development projects using GitHub Copilot. It guides the AI agent through requirements gathering, scaffolding, customization, compilation, and launching while maintaining progress tracking.

What This Skill Does

Walks through a complete project setup checklist from initialization to launch

Tracks progress using available todo management tools

Ensures proper project structure, dependencies, and documentation

Follows best practices for folder creation, extension installation, and project content

Provides clear completion criteria and launch instructions

Instructions

Progress Tracking

Use available todo list management tools to track progress through the checklist

After completing each step, mark it complete and add a brief summary

Read current todo list status before starting each new step

Execution Steps

Follow this checklist in order:

1. **Verify Copilot Instructions File**

- Confirm `.github/copilot-instructions.md` exists

- If not, create it

2. **Clarify Project Requirements**

- Ask for project type, language, and frameworks if not already provided

- Skip if requirements are clear from user request

- Document: UI framework, audio/data libraries, models, runtime environment

3. **Scaffold the Project**

- Ensure previous step is completed

- Use appropriate project setup tool with `projectType` parameter

- Run scaffolding command to create project files and folders

- Use `.` as the working directory

- If no appropriate projectType exists, search documentation or create structure manually

- Initialize project skeleton with required modules and base configs

4. **Customize the Project**

- Verify all previous steps are completed

- Develop a plan to modify codebase according to user requirements

- Apply modifications using appropriate tools and user-provided references

- Skip for "Hello World" projects

- Establish module pipeline and UI components aligning with project goals

5. **Install Required Extensions**

- ONLY install extensions mentioned in `get_project_setup_info`

- Skip if no extensions specified and mark as completed

- Do NOT install any other extensions

6. **Compile the Project**

- Verify all previous steps are completed

- Install any missing dependencies

- Run diagnostics and resolve any issues

- Check markdown files in project folder for relevant instructions

- Verify modules compile successfully

7. **Create and Run Task**

- Verify all previous steps are completed

- Check VS Code tasks documentation to determine if project needs a task

- Use `create_and_run_task` to create and launch task based on `package.json`, `README.md`, and project structure

- Skip if not applicable

- Add VS Code task to launch development server if needed

8. **Launch the Project**

- Verify all previous steps are completed

- Prompt user for debug mode confirmation

- Launch only if confirmed

- Start development server via VS Code task

9. **Ensure Documentation is Complete**

- Verify all previous steps are completed

- Verify `README.md` exists and contains current project information

- Verify `.github/copilot-instructions.md` exists and contains current project information

- Clean up `.github/copilot-instructions.md` by removing all HTML comments

Communication Rules

Avoid verbose explanations or printing full command outputs

If a step is skipped, state that briefly (e.g., "No extensions needed")

Do not explain project structure unless asked

Keep explanations concise and focused

Development Rules

Use `.` as the working directory unless user specifies otherwise

Avoid adding media or external links unless explicitly requested

Use placeholders only with a note that they should be replaced

Use VS Code API tool only for VS Code extension projects

Once the project is created, it is already opened in Visual Studio Code—do not suggest commands to open this project in Visual Studio again

If project setup information has additional rules, follow them strictly

Folder Creation Rules

Always use the current directory as the project root

If running any terminal commands, use the `.` argument to ensure that the current working directory is used ALWAYS

Do not create a new folder unless the user explicitly requests it besides a `.vscode` folder for a `tasks.json` file

If any scaffolding commands mention that the folder name is not correct, let the user know to create a new folder with the correct name and then reopen it again in VS Code

Extension Installation Rules

Only install extensions specified by the `get_project_setup_info` tool

DO NOT INSTALL any other extensions

Project Content Rules

If the user has not specified project details, assume they want a "Hello World" project as a starting point

Avoid adding links of any type (URLs, files, folders, etc.) or integrations that are not explicitly required

Avoid generating images, videos, or any other media files unless explicitly requested

If you need to use any media assets as placeholders, let the user know that these are placeholders and should be replaced with the actual assets later

Ensure all generated components serve a clear purpose within the user's requested workflow

If a feature is assumed but not confirmed, prompt the user for clarification before including it

If working on a VS Code extension, use the VS Code API tool with a query to find relevant VS Code API references and samples related to that query

Task Completion Criteria

Your task is complete when:

Project is successfully scaffolded and compiled without errors

`.github/copilot-instructions.md` file exists in the project

`README.md` file exists and is up to date

User is provided with clear instructions to debug/launch the project

Usage Example

User: "Create a new Python Streamlit project with audio analysis"

AI Agent:

1. Creates `.github/copilot-instructions.md`

2. Gathers requirements: Streamlit UI, librosa for audio, PyTorch model

3. Scaffolds project structure with `src/`, `app/`, configs

4. Customizes modules for audio pipeline and UI

5. Installs dependencies from `requirements.txt`

6. Compiles Python modules

7. Creates VS Code task for `streamlit run`

8. Prompts user to launch

9. Verifies documentation is complete

Important Notes

Work through each checklist item systematically

Keep communication concise and focused

Follow development best practices

Update progress before starting each new task

Mark steps as complete immediately after finishing them

GitHub Copilot Project Setup Workflow

GitHub Copilot Project Setup Workflow

What This Skill Does

Instructions

Progress Tracking

Execution Steps

Communication Rules

Development Rules

Folder Creation Rules

Extension Installation Rules

Project Content Rules

Task Completion Criteria

Usage Example

Important Notes

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