Maximize your productivity with these proven Copilot strategies for individuals and teams.

Project-Level Configuration

Create a .github/copilot-instructions.md file in your repo to give Copilot project-specific context:

# Project: E-commerce Platform

## Tech Stack
- Frontend: React 18 + TypeScript + Tailwind CSS
- Backend: Node.js + Express + Prisma ORM
- Database: PostgreSQL
- Testing: Vitest + React Testing Library

## Coding Standards
- Use functional components with hooks (no class components)
- All functions must have TypeScript types (no `any`)
- Use Zod for runtime validation
- Follow REST API naming conventions
- Write tests for all business logic

## Architecture
- Feature-based folder structure (src/features/*)
- Shared UI components in src/components/ui/
- API calls through service layer (src/services/*)

Individual Productivity Tips

• Accept suggestions selectively — don't blindly Tab through everything
• Use Copilot for boilerplate, then refine the logic manually
• Let Copilot write tests — it's often faster than writing them yourself
• Use inline chat for quick refactors instead of rewriting manually

Team Workflows

• Code review — Use /explain to understand unfamiliar code in PRs
• Onboarding — New team members use Chat to understand the codebase
• Documentation — Generate docs with /doc and refine for accuracy
• Consistency — Shared copilot-instructions.md ensures team-wide standards

Security Considerations

• Review generated code for security vulnerabilities
• Don't accept suggestions that handle sensitive data without inspection
• Use Copilot Business/Enterprise for IP protection and audit logging
• Configure content exclusions for sensitive repositories