Learn Customization Course

learn/customizations/1-why-customization-matter.md

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+---
+ContentId: b1c2d3e4-f5a6-7b8c-9d0e-1f2a3b4c5d6e
+DateApproved: 04/17/2026
+MetaDescription: Learn why customization matters for getting the most out of GitHub Copilot in VS Code.
+MetaSocialImage: ../images/shared/agent-first-development-social.png
+---
+
+# Why customization matters
+
+Introduction to the Customization
+
+<!-- IMAGE PLACEHOLDER - YouTube thumbnail embed showing the Customization UI -->
+
+Most developers are using VS Code the same way: open chat, type something, and hope for a good result. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't.
+
+But here's the problem. They never configure it.
+
+VS Code is no longer just an editor. It's an environment where you can define how AI works across your entire workflow. And if you're not doing that, you're essentially starting from scratch every time.
+
+This guide covers what customization is, why it matters, and how to use the Customization UI in VS Code.
+
+Before you start: you'll need VS Code Insiders installed and the GitHub Copilot and GitHub Copilot Chat extensions set up and signed in.
+
+## What is Customization?
+
+Customization in VS Code Copilot Chat lets you define how the AI behaves, responds, and operates within your workflow.
+
+Instead of relying on one-off prompts, you can create reusable building blocks:
+
+- **Agents** - specialized modes for different tasks
+- **Skills** - domain-specific capabilities and workflows
+- **Instructions** - persistent rules and coding conventions
+- **Prompts** - reusable prompt templates
+- **Hooks** - automated actions triggered by events
+
+We'll cover the above in depth in later guides, but for now, just note that together these allow you to shape Copilot into a context-aware assistant that follows your standards, understands your project, and automates repetitive work.
+
+## Why Customization Matters
+
+You may ask yourself: Is customization really needed? Why not just jump into doing the work without it? Without customization, every interaction looks like this:
+
+- You restate context
+- You restate expectations
+- You restate how you want things done
+
+This leads to:
+
+- Inconsistent results
+- More effort
+- More trial and error
+
+Customization changes that. It allows you to:
+
+- Define behavior once
+- Reuse it across your workflow
+- Get consistent, higher-quality outputs
+
+Instead of prompting better, you're building a system that works for you.
+
+## The Customization UI
+
+VS Code provides a single place to manage all customization features.
+
+To get started:
+
+1. Open Copilot Chat (click the Chat icon).
+2. Click the Configure (gear) icon in the Chat panel header.
+
+<!-- IMAGE PLACEHOLDER - Chat screenshot -->
+![Chat icon with gear](../images/customizations/chat-icon-gear.png)
+
+This opens the Customization UI.
+
+<!-- IMAGE PLACEHOLDER - Customization UI screenshot -->
+![Chat customizations UI](../images/customizations/chat-customizations.png)
+From here, you can create and manage:
+
+- Agents
+- Skills
+- Custom instructions
+- Prompt files
+- Hooks
+
+Instead of searching across folders, everything is centralized for easier discovery and management.
+
+The Customization UI brings everything into one place. It makes it easier to define how your development environment behaves, not just what it generates. That's the shift.
+
+Instead of interacting with AI one prompt at a time, you're building a system that consistently works the way you want.
+
+## What's Next
+
+You now understand what customization is and how the Customization UI brings it all together.
+
+To learn more about each customization type and how to use them effectively, continue with the customization guides and videos in this series.
+
+## Learn more
+- [Download VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/)
+- Set up GitHub Copilot in VS Code
+- Copilot Chat panel docs
+- Choosing an AI model for Copilot Chat

learn/customizations/2-prompt-files.md

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+---
+ContentId: c2d3e4f5-a6b7-8c9d-0e1f-2a3b4c5d6e7f
+DateApproved: 04/17/2026
+MetaDescription: Learn how to use prompt files to customize GitHub Copilot in VS Code.
+MetaSocialImage: ../images/shared/agent-first-development-social.png
+---
+# Prompt files

learn/customizations/3-instructions.md

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+---
+ContentId: d3e4f5a6-b7c8-9d0e-1f2a-3b4c5d6e7f8a
+DateApproved: 04/17/2026
+MetaDescription: Learn how to use instructions to customize GitHub Copilot behavior in VS Code.
+MetaSocialImage: ../images/shared/agent-first-development-social.png
+---
+# Instructions

learn/customizations/4-skills.md

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+---
+ContentId: e4f5a6b7-c8d9-0e1f-2a3b-4c5d6e7f8a9b
+DateApproved: 04/17/2026
+MetaDescription: Learn how to use skills to extend GitHub Copilot capabilities in VS Code.
+MetaSocialImage: ../images/shared/agent-first-development-social.png
+---
+# Skills

learn/customizations/5-custom-agent.md

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+---
+ContentId: f5a6b7c8-d9e0-1f2a-3b4c-5d6e7f8a9b0c
+DateApproved: 04/17/2026
+MetaDescription: Learn how to build and use custom agents with GitHub Copilot in VS Code.
+MetaSocialImage: ../images/shared/agent-first-development-social.png
+---
+# Custom agent

learn/customizations/6-hooks.md

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+---
+ContentId: a6b7c8d9-e0f1-2a3b-4c5d-6e7f8a9b0c1d
+DateApproved: 04/17/2026
+MetaDescription: Learn how to use hooks to customize GitHub Copilot workflows in VS Code.
+MetaSocialImage: ../images/shared/agent-first-development-social.png
+---
+# Hooks

learn/customizations/7-customization Features Explained.md

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+---
+ContentId: a6b7c8d9-e0f1-2a3b-4c5d-6e7f8a9b0c1d
+DateApproved: 04/17/2026
+MetaDescription: Learn how to use hooks to customize GitHub Copilot workflows in VS Code.
+MetaSocialImage: ../images/shared/agent-first-development-social.png
+---
+# Customization Features Explained
+

learn/customizations/8-demo.md

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+---
+ContentId: b7c8d9e0-f1a2-3b4c-5d6e-7f8a9b0c1d2e
+DateApproved: 04/17/2026
+MetaDescription: A hands-on demo of GitHub Copilot customization features in VS Code.
+MetaSocialImage: ../images/shared/agent-first-development-social.png
+---
+# Demo

learn/toc.json

@@ -11,5 +11,20 @@
       ["Debugging agent work", "/learn/foundations/debugging-and-whats-happening-behind-the-scenes"],
       ["Build your first app with agent mode", "/learn/foundations/build-your-first-app-with-agent-mode"]
     ]
+  },
+  {
+    "name": "Customizations",
+    "area": "customizations",
+    "description": "Learn how to customize GitHub Copilot in VS Code using prompt files, instructions, skills, custom agents, and hooks.",
+    "topics": [
+      ["Why customization matters", "/learn/customizations/1-why-customization-matter"],
+      ["Prompt files", "/learn/customizations/2-prompt-files"],
+      ["Instructions", "/learn/customizations/3-instructions"],
+      ["Skills", "/learn/customizations/4-skills"],
+      ["Custom agent", "/learn/customizations/5-custom-agent"],
+      ["Hooks", "/learn/customizations/6-hooks"],
+      ["Customization Features Explained", "/learn/customizations/7-customization Features Explained"],
+      ["Demo", "/learn/customizations/8-demo"]
+    ]
   }
 ]