5 Tips for Writing Better Custom Instructions for Copilot

Five Tips for Better Custom Instructions:

1. **Be Concise and Clear**
   - Write instructions as if briefing a new team member
   - Avoid jargon unless defining it
   - One instruction per line for readability

2. **Focus on Conventions**
   - Naming conventions (camelCase, PascalCase, snake_case)
   - File organization patterns
   - Import ordering preferences

3. **Specify Your Stack**
   - List frameworks, libraries, and their versions
   - Mention preferred alternatives (e.g., "use date-fns, not moment")
   - Include build tool preferences

4. **Include Quality Standards**
   - Error handling patterns
   - Logging conventions
   - Test coverage expectations

5. **Iterate and Refine**
   - Start small and add instructions as needed
   - Test each instruction's impact
   - Remove instructions that don't improve output