Use .copilot/ instead of .github/ directory for copilot instructions

[innowhat]

Background

Currently, GitHub Copilot requires custom instructions and agent configurations to be stored within the .github directory:

• repo-wide: .github/copilot-instructions.md
• path-specific: .github/instructions/*.instructions.md

While this makes sense for repositories hosted on GitHub.com, Copilot is a cross-platform tool used in VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim etc, often within codebases hosted on GitLab, Bitbucket, or Azure DevOps.

The Problem: Platform Coupling

Tethering an IDE-based AI assistant to a hosting-specific directory (.github) creates several points of confusion:

1. Established Conventions: Historically, .github is for features that run on GitHub’s infrastructure (Actions, CODEOWNERS, etc.). Copilot instructions run locally in the IDE and are functionally independent of the hosting provider.
2. Cross-Platform "Vendor Leak": Teams using GitLab or Bitbucket often have policies against platform-specific directories. Seeing a .github folder in a non-GitHub repo creates confusion for new contributors leading to questions about whether the repo is mirrored or migrating.
3. Repository Organization: The .github folder is increasingly crowded with CI/CD and security policies. Adding AI instructions, agent behaviors, and prompt templates turns it into a "junk drawer" rather than a focused configuration space.

Proposal: Support a .copilot directory

I propose that Copilot should recognize a .copilot/ directory at the root of the workspace. This follows the successful precedent set by VS Code, which uses .vscode/ rather than .github/vscode/, respecting its status as a platform-agnostic editor.

Suggested Structure:

my-project/
├── .copilot/
│   ├── instructions.md       (Global instructions)
│   └── agents/               (Specific agent/path configs)
└── .github/                  (Actual GitHub platform features)

Benefits

• Neutrality: Works naturally on any git host without "branding" the repository structure.
• Modularity: In a multi AI workflow (using Copilot alongside Claude or Cursor), it allows for a clean, tool specific organization: .copilot/, .claude/, .cursor/.
• Portability: Makes project templates easier to maintain across different hosting environments.

Backward Compatibility

To ensure a smooth transition, the tool could follow a simple search order:

1. Check for .copilot/instructions.md
2. Fall back to .github/copilot-instructions.md if the first is not found.

What do others think? Does the current .github requirement feel "off" when working outside the GitHub ecosystem? Would a dedicated directory help your team organize AI-assisted workflows better?

[aaronpowell]

This is not something that we are responsible in the Awesome Copilot repo, it'd be better looking into https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/categories/copilot-conversations to see if it's been discussed there, or raise it if not.