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GitHub / Microsoft · VS Code agent mode · JetBrains, Visual Studio & others · Copilot CLI · Copilot coding agent (github.com)
GitHub Copilot rules files explained
Which instruction files GitHub Copilot reads (.github/copilot-instructions.md, .github/instructions/*.instructions.md, AGENTS.md), where to put them, and how to convert from other agents.
Files Copilot reads
.github/copilot-instructions.md.github/instructions/*.instructions.mdAGENTS.md
AGENTS.md: Yes.
Who reads what
| Agent | Rules files | AGENTS.md |
|---|---|---|
| Claude | CLAUDE.md, .claude/rules/*.md | Only when no CLAUDE.md exists (per research notes, Oct 2026; verify) |
| Codex | AGENTS.md | Yes (AGENTS.md originated here) |
| Cursor | .cursor/rules/*.mdc, AGENTS.md, .cursorrules (legacy) | Yes |
| Copilot | .github/copilot-instructions.md, .github/instructions/*.instructions.md, AGENTS.md | Yes |
| Antigravity | GEMINI.md, AGENTS.md | Yes (per research notes; verify) |
Agent Stack Weekly · free
What changed across coding agents this week
Limit and pricing changes, new MCP servers, and setup fixes for Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Copilot and Antigravity.
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