Add Context7 instructions for authoritative external documentation usage

[lance2k]

Pull Request Checklist

• I have read and followed the CONTRIBUTING.md guidelines.
• My contribution adds a new instruction, prompt, agent, or skill file in the correct directory.
• The file follows the required naming convention.
• The content is clearly structured and follows the example format.
• I have tested my instructions, prompt, agent, or skill with GitHub Copilot.
• I have run npm start and verified that README.md is up to date.

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Description

Add a new repository-wide instruction document describing how and when to use Context7 for retrieving authoritative external documentation and examples. The instruction provides workflow steps and guidance for resolving library IDs and querying Context7 for version-sensitive API docs. This helps agents and contributors fetch up-to-date external docs when local context is insufficient.

File added: context7.instructions.md

Usage notes:

• Use when library/framework API details or version-sensitive guidance is required.
• Follow the resolve → query workflow described in the instruction.
• The instruction recommends citation of sources when using external docs.

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Type of Contribution

• New instruction file.
• New prompt file.
• New agent file.
• New collection file.
• New skill file.
• Update to existing instruction, prompt, agent, collection or skill.
• Other (please specify):

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By submitting this pull request, I confirm that my contribution abides by the Code of Conduct and will be licensed under the MIT License.

[Copilot]

Pull request overview

Adds a new repository-wide custom instruction that guides Copilot/agents to use Context7 for authoritative, version-specific external documentation when local repo context is insufficient.

Changes:

• Added instructions/context7.instructions.md describing when/how to use Context7 and an MCP tool workflow.
• Updated docs/README.instructions.md to include the new instruction in the instructions index.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 2 out of 2 changed files in this pull request and generated 2 comments.

File	Description
instructions/context7.instructions.md	Introduces Context7 usage guidance and an MCP-based workflow for resolving libraries and fetching docs.
docs/README.instructions.md	Adds an index entry so the new instruction is discoverable/installable.

[lance2k]

npm start generate the following title Context7-aware development which is a bit ambiguous and feels like an incomplete sentence. So I changed it to Context7 Instructions for clarity.

[aaronpowell]

I don't think that this is a valuable addition. We already have a context7 agent in the repo and given that agents can define a MCP server as part of their frontmatter plus are able to be shipped in plugins, which instructions cannot, this has diminishing value to users.

[lance2k]

I don't think that this is a valuable addition. We already have a context7 agent in the repo and given that agents can define a MCP server as part of their frontmatter plus are able to be shipped in plugins, which instructions cannot, this has diminishing value to users.

Thanks for the feedback. I see your point about the existing context7 agent already being in the repo and it's distinct advantage over instructions. But the context7 agent instructions only applies if we use the agent. For the default Plan and Agent this instructions does not apply. I use this instructions when working with the default agents, custom agents and it works well as intended ( copilot uses context7 without me typing use context7 in every prompt ). Also I made this as a copilot alternative to this cursor rule https://context7.com/docs/tips#add-a-rule

[aaronpowell]

It might be worth considering removing the agent and instead replacing it with a skill crafted off this. Skills can be picked up by any agent (or manually invoked), and they are more distributable using plugins (which don't support instructions).

[aaronpowell]

As noted in #751 we are changing the process for contributing and using a branch, staged, that is the target of PR's rather than main.

Can you retarget this branch to staged please. That can be done with the GitHub CLI:

gh pr edit 727 --base staged

[lance2k]

It might be worth considering removing the agent and instead replacing it with a skill crafted off this. Skills can be picked up by any agent (or manually invoked), and they are more distributable using plugins (which don't support instructions).

I'm do not know how widely used the Context7 agent is, nor have I used it myself, so I can’t confidently weigh in on whether it should be removed. I could try creating a skill based on this, but I’ll need some time to experiment and test it, as I'm still fairly new to SKILL.md.

The merge-base changed after approval.

[lance2k]

@all-contributors add @username for Instructions

[allcontributors]

@lance2k

I couldn't determine any contributions to add, did you specify any contributions?
Please make sure to use valid contribution names.

[lance2k]

@all-contributors add @lance2k for Instructions

[allcontributors]

@lance2k

I couldn't determine any contributions to add, did you specify any contributions?
Please make sure to use valid contribution names.

[lance2k]

@all-contributors please add @lance2k for code