Copilot Ask Skill

Use GitHub Copilot CLI to answer questions about code without making modifications. This is a read-only analysis skill.

When to Use

• User asks "how does X work?"
• User wants to find where something is implemented
• User needs to understand architecture or patterns
• User is debugging and needs to understand code flow
• User asks "what does this code do?"

Prerequisites

Verify GitHub Copilot CLI is available:

copilot --version

Note: Copilot will ask you to trust the files in the current folder before it can read them.

Basic Usage

Step 1: Parse the Question

Extract what the user wants to know and the scope (files, feature, component).

Step 2: Launch Copilot CLI

cd /path/to/project
copilot

Step 3: Ask the Question

Provide a clear prompt:

Explain how [FEATURE/COMPONENT] works in this codebase.

Please provide:
1. Direct answer to the question
2. Specific file paths and line numbers
3. Code examples from the actual codebase
4. Related concepts or dependencies

Do NOT make any changes - this is read-only analysis.

Step 4: Present the Answer

Format with:

• Summary (1-2 sentences)
• Details (explanation)
• File references (paths + line numbers)
• Code examples
• Related info (dependencies, gotchas)

Tips

• Use @path/to/file to include a specific file in the prompt.
• Use /usage to view session usage details.
• Use /model to pick another model if needed.
• Use ? or copilot help to see available commands.

Use Custom Instructions

Copilot CLI automatically loads repository instructions if present:

• .github/copilot-instructions.md
• .github/copilot-instructions/**/*.instructions.md
• AGENTS.md (agent instructions)

Error Handling

• If Copilot is not found, ensure it is installed per the prerequisites in README.md and available in PATH.
• If authentication fails, run /login and follow prompts.
• If the answer is unclear, narrow the question and include file paths.

Related Skills

• copilot-exec for code modifications
• copilot-review for code reviews

Limitations

• Read-only analysis
• Interactive mode only
• Limited by current codebase context