🚀 Getting Started (5 Minutes)

Transform your development workflow with AI-powered coding assistants.

📋 Prerequisites

✅ VS Code with GitHub Copilot installed
✅ Any project (works with existing repos)

🎯 Step 1: Choose Your Agent (1 min)

Agents are specialized Copilot experts. Pick the right one for your task:

Agent	🎯 Best For	⚡ Example
`@codebase`	Writing Code	“Create a user login API”
`@planner`	Analysis Only	“Analyze this codebase architecture”
`@review`	Code Quality	“Audit for security issues”
`@docs`	Documentation	“Create API documentation”
`@orchestrator`	Big Projects	“Build a complete auth system”
`@em-advisor`	Leadership	“Prepare for team meeting”

🎯 Step 2: Your First Agent Interaction (2 min)

1. Open Copilot Chat

Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + I
Mac: Cmd + Shift + I

2. Select an Agent

Click the dropdown at the top and choose @codebase (most versatile for beginners)

3. Try Your First Request

@codebase Create a REST API endpoint for user authentication with JWT

4. Review & Approve

Agent shows you a detailed plan
Review each step carefully
Type “yes” or “approved” to proceed
Watch it implement step-by-step!

⚡ Step 3: Power Up with Prompts (1 min)

Use / commands for instant results:

/code-review          # Quick security & quality check
/generate-tests       # Create unit tests automatically
/create-readme        # Professional documentation
/1-on-1-prep         # Leadership meeting preparation

Tip: Type / in chat to see all available prompts.

🎨 Step 4: Customize for Your Project (1 min)

Make agents project-aware by creating .github/copilot-instructions.md:

# My Project Context

Tech Stack:
- Node.js + TypeScript + Express
- PostgreSQL database
- Docker containers

Standards:
- Async/await everywhere
- Comprehensive error handling
- OpenAPI documentation
- Jest for testing

Agents automatically learn from this file!

💡 Pro Tips for Success

🎯 Be Specific

✅ Good: @codebase Create authentication middleware that validates JWT tokens and extracts user info to req.user

❌ Bad:  @codebase Add auth

🔍 Always Review Plans

Agents show you exactly what they’ll do before making changes. Take a moment to review!

🤝 Use Agent Handoffs

@codebase (implement) → @review (audit) → @docs (document)

🚀 Try These Next

🔧 Build Features

@codebase Create user management API with CRUD operations

🔒 Security Audit

@review Check authentication code for vulnerabilities

📚 Documentation

@docs Generate API documentation with examples

📚 Learn More

📖 Agent Deep Dive - Detailed capabilities
💡 Real Examples - Production workflows
⚙️ Customization - Adapt to your needs
🔧 Troubleshooting - Common issues

❓ Need Help?

Quick Start: Revisit this guide
Agent Guide: Check detailed capabilities
Examples: Browse real workflows
Issues: See troubleshooting

🎉 You’re all set! Start building with AI-powered development assistants.