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Sample Agent Definitions

This folder contains some simple agent templates for GitHub Copilot CLI intended to help you get started using agents.

Quick Start

# Copy an agent to your personal agents folder
cp hello-world.agent.md ~/.copilot/agents/

# Or copy to your project for team sharing
cp python-reviewer.agent.md .github/agents/

Sample Files in This Folder

File Description Best For
hello-world.agent.md Minimal example (11 lines) Learning the format
python-reviewer.agent.md Python code quality reviewer Code reviews, PEP 8, type hints
pytest-helper.agent.md Pytest testing specialist Test generation, fixtures, edge cases

Finding More Agents

Agent File Format

Each agent file requires YAML frontmatter with at least a description field:

---
name: my-agent
description: Brief description of what this agent does
tools: ["read", "edit", "search"]  # Optional: limit available tools
---

# Agent Name

Agent instructions go here...

Available YAML Properties:

Property Required Description
description Yes What the agent does
name No Display name (defaults to filename)
tools No List of allowed tools (omit = all). See aliases below.
target No Limit to vscode or github-copilot only

Tool Aliases: read, edit, search, execute (shell), web, agent

💡 Note: The model property works in VS Code but is not yet supported in Copilot CLI.

📖 Official docs: Custom agents configuration

Agent File Locations

Agents can be stored in:

  • ~/.copilot/agents/ - Global agents available in all projects
  • .github/agents/ - Project-specific agents
  • .agent.md files - VS Code-compatible format

Each agent is a separate file with the .agent.md extension.

Usage Examples

# Start with a specific agent
copilot --agent python-reviewer

# Or select an agent interactively during a session
copilot
> /agent
# Select "python-reviewer" from the list

# The agent's expertise applies to your prompts
> @samples/book-app-project/books.py Review this code for quality issues

# Switch to a different agent
> /agent
# Select "pytest-helper"

> @samples/book-app-project/tests/test_books.py What additional tests should we add?

Creating Your Own Agents

  1. Create a new file in ~/.copilot/agents/ with .agent.md extension
  2. Add YAML frontmatter with at least a description field
  3. Add a descriptive header (e.g., # Security Agent)
  4. Define the agent's expertise, standards, and behaviors
  5. Use the agent with /agent or --agent <name>

Tips for effective agents:

  • Be specific about expertise areas
  • Include code standards and patterns
  • Define what the agent checks for
  • Include output format preferences