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Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:
You need an active GitHub Copilot subscription (Individual, Business, or Enterprise). If you don’t have one, sign up for GitHub Copilot.
Install one of the following:
Docker must be installed and running to use the MCP server. Download Docker Desktop.

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Installation Methods

Choose your preferred installation method:

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Your First Agent

Now that the MCP server is installed, let’s install and use your first custom agent!
1

Browse available agents

Visit the Agents Catalog or use the MCP server tools in Copilot chat to search for agents.
Try asking Copilot: “Show me available agents for React development” or “Find agents for Azure infrastructure”
2

Install an agent

Let’s install a popular agent as an example. Choose one of these methods:Option 1: One-click install (from catalog)In the Agents Catalog, click the “Install in VS Code” badge next to any agent.Option 2: Manual download
  1. Navigate to the agents directory on GitHub
  2. Find an agent (e.g., context7.agent.md for up-to-date library documentation)
  3. Click “Raw” and save the file to your repository
Option 3: Using MCP toolsIn Copilot chat:
@workspace Search for agents related to "documentation"
3

Activate the agent

Once installed, the agent becomes available in your GitHub Copilot interface.In VS Code:
  • Open Copilot Chat
  • Type @ to see available agents
  • Select your newly installed agent
In Coding Agent (CCA):
  • When assigning an issue to Copilot
  • Select the custom agent from the provided list
4

Use the agent

Let’s test the Context7 Expert agent (if you installed it):
@context7-expert What are the best practices for Next.js 14 routing?
The agent will use the Context7 MCP server to fetch up-to-date documentation and provide accurate, current information.

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Understanding Agent Resources

Many agents work with MCP servers to provide enhanced capabilities. Here’s what you need to know:
MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers are services that provide tools and resources to AI agents. They enable agents to:
  • Search external documentation
  • Access APIs and databases
  • Retrieve real-time information
  • Perform specialized computations
Each agent’s documentation specifies which MCP servers it requires.
Some agents require additional MCP servers beyond the Awesome Copilot server. For example:Context7 Expert requires the Context7 MCP server:
{
  "context7": {
    "type": "http",
    "url": "https://mcp.context7.com/mcp",
    "headers": {
      "CONTEXT7_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
    }
  }
}
Each agent’s page includes “Install MCP” badges for required servers.
Some MCP servers require API keys or credentials. These should be:
  • Stored in your IDE’s secrets manager
  • Never committed to version control
  • Referenced using ${{ secrets.SECRET_NAME }} syntax
Example:
"headers": {
  "Authorization": "Bearer ${{ secrets.APIFY_TOKEN }}"
}

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Adding Instructions

Instructions automatically apply coding standards to files based on patterns. Let’s add one:
1

Choose an instruction

Browse the Instructions Catalog or search for instructions matching your tech stack.Example: typescript.instructions.md for TypeScript best practices
2

Download the file

Save the .instructions.md file to your repository’s instructions/ folder (create it if it doesn’t exist).
3

Automatic activation

Instructions automatically activate when you work on matching files. Check the frontmatter to see which file patterns trigger the instruction.Example frontmatter:
---
description: 'TypeScript best practices and coding standards'
applyTo: '**.ts, **.tsx'
---

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Using Skills

Skills are self-contained folders with specialized capabilities:
1

Find a skill

Browse the Skills Catalog for tasks like:
  • Terraform analysis
  • Web app testing
  • Documentation generation
  • Code migration
2

Install the skill

Skills are folders with bundled resources. Clone or download the entire skill folder to your repository.
3

Load the skill

Skills can be:
  • Loaded on-demand in Copilot chat
  • Referenced by custom agents
  • Installed as part of plugins

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Next Steps

Now that you have the basics, explore these areas:

Explore All Resources

Browse the complete catalog of agents, instructions, skills, hooks, workflows, and plugins.

Learn Usage Patterns

Understand how to use each type of resource effectively in your workflow.

Install Plugins

Discover curated plugin bundles that install multiple related resources at once.

Cookbook Examples

Learn from practical, copy-paste-ready code examples and real-world use cases.

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Troubleshooting

  1. Verify Docker is running: docker ps
  2. Check the MCP server configuration in your IDE settings
  3. Restart your IDE after configuration changes
  4. Review IDE logs for MCP-related error messages
  1. Ensure the agent file is in the correct location
  2. Check that the frontmatter is valid YAML
  3. Restart your IDE to reload agent definitions
  4. Verify the agent file has the .agent.md extension
  1. Verify API keys are correctly set in secrets
  2. Check the MCP server headers configuration
  3. Ensure environment variables are accessible
  4. Review the specific MCP server’s authentication documentation
  1. Check the applyTo pattern matches your file extension
  2. Verify the instruction file is in the instructions/ folder
  3. Ensure frontmatter includes both description and applyTo fields
  4. Try opening a file that matches the pattern

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