You open a new Copilot chat and explain everything again.
Your stack. Folder structure. That “no default exports” rule.
Copilot writes code, but forgets context.
This isn’t a bug though. LLMs are stateless, every chat starts fresh.
The good part? You can fix it.
The Problem Has a Name
You’re dealing with three problems:
The Blank Slate: Every session starts from zero.
Correction Amnesia: You fix a mistake. Next session, same mistake.
Standards Drift: Your team has patterns. Copilot ignores them. Code becomes inconsistent.
Each problem has a different fix. Let's go through them one by one.
The Instructions File (Your Copilot Brief)
Create this file:
your-project/
└── .github/
└── copilot-instructions.md
Copilot reads it at the start of every chat. No setup.
Think of it as your team’s “how we work” doc.
Example:
## Stack
- React 18, TypeScript (strict), Tailwind CSS
- Node.js + Express + Prisma + PostgreSQL
- Testing: Vitest + React Testing Library
- Package manager: pnpm only
## Rules
- Named exports only — no default exports
- No `any` types
- Every API route uses `authenticate`
- Handle nulls explicitly — no optional chaining on Prisma results
- Conventional Commits: feat(scope): message
Now everyone gets the same baseline.
Scoped Rules (Right Rules, Right Files)
One file works… until it grows.
Frontend, backend, and tests follow different rules. A single file mixes context.
Use scoped files:
.github/
├── copilot-instructions.md
└── instructions/
├── frontend.instructions.md
├── backend.instructions.md
└── testing.instructions.md
Each file defines where it applies:
---
applyTo: "src/components/**/*.tsx"
---
## Component Rules
- Functional components only
- Props interface named `[ComponentName]Props`
- Use `cn()` for conditional classes
- No inline styles
Now Copilot gets relevant rules only.
Copilot has a memory tool in VS Code (preview, enabled by default).
When you correct it, make it persistent:
Remember: never use optional chaining on Prisma query results.
Always handle null with an explicit if-check.
It stores this and applies it in future sessions.
Memory types:
User memory (all projects)
Remember I prefer async/await over .then()
Repository memory (this project)
Remember we use App Router (March 2026)
Remember UserAvatar breaks in Server Components
Session memory (current chat only)
Key habit: When you fix a repeated mistake, tell it to remember.
Check memory with Chat: Show Memory Files.
Note: Memory tool is in preview, enable via github.copilot.chat.tools.memory.enabled.
Prompt Files (Stop Repeating Yourself)
If you repeat prompts, create a prompt file:
.github/prompts/code-review.prompt.md
Use it with /code-review.
Example:
---
name: "code-review"
description: "Review staged changes"
mode: "ask"
---
Review staged changes.
Flag:
- Must Fix — bugs, auth, unsafe types
- Should Fix — standards, missing tests
- Suggestion — improvements
Reference [copilot-instructions.md](../copilot-instructions.md).
Now your team shares the same workflow.
Other useful prompts:
/new-component/new-migration/write-tests
The Full Picture
.github/
├── copilot-instructions.md
├── instructions/
│ ├── frontend.instructions.md
│ ├── backend.instructions.md
│ └── testing.instructions.md
└── prompts/
├── code-review.prompt.md
├── new-component.prompt.md
└── new-migration.prompt.md
Plus memory running in the background.
| Problem | Fix |
|---|
| Blank slate | copilot-instructions.md |
| Wrong rules | Scoped files |
| Repeated mistakes | Memory tool |
| Repeated prompts | Prompt files |
Just Start With One Thing
You don’t need everything today.
Start with copilot-instructions.md. Add your stack and a few rules. Commit it. See the difference.
Then:
- Add scoped files when needed
- Save repeated fixes to memory
- Create prompt files when repetition appears
The model won’t change. But your context can improve every week.