Title: Docs: consolidate Copilot instructions and prompt metadata
## Summary
- Consolidated AI guidance into a root AGENTS.md and new
`.github/instructions` files, removing older per-folder instructions.
- Scoped instruction files for pipelines, common libraries,
runner/settings UI, prompts, and simplified
`.github/copilot-instructions.md` to point to the sources of truth.
- Fixed prompt frontmatter (YAML markers, quoted fields, headings)
across built-in prompt files.
- Most instructions.md is from https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot
## Testing
- Not run (documentation/instructions-only change)
<!-- Enter a brief description/summary of your PR here. What does it
fix/what does it change/how was it tested (even manually, if necessary)?
-->
## Summary of the Pull Request
This pull request introduces several improvements and updates across the
repository, focusing on build tooling, prompt configuration for AI
agents, and documentation clarity. The most significant changes include
the addition of new VSCode build tasks, updates to prompt files to use a
newer AI model, enhancements to the build script for flexibility, and
refinements to documentation and style rules.
### Enabled scenario
* On any active files in VSCode, do "Ctrl + Shift + B" just build
correctly for you.
* The Run Task (no matter from Terminal or Ctrl + Shift + P), we can see
the build option:
<img width="1210" height="253" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/09fbef16-55ce-42d5-a9ec-74111be83472"
/>
**Build tooling and automation:**
* Added a new `.vscode/tasks.json` file with configurable build tasks
for PowerToys, supporting quick and customizable builds with platform
and configuration selection.
* Enhanced `tools/build/build.ps1` to support an optional `-Path`
parameter for building projects in a specified directory, updated
parameter documentation, and improved logic to resolve the working
directory.
[[1]](diffhunk://#diff-7a444242b2a6d9c642341bd2ef45f51ba5698ad7827e5136e85eb483863967a7R14-R16)
[[2]](diffhunk://#diff-7a444242b2a6d9c642341bd2ef45f51ba5698ad7827e5136e85eb483863967a7R27-R30)
[[3]](diffhunk://#diff-7a444242b2a6d9c642341bd2ef45f51ba5698ad7827e5136e85eb483863967a7R51)
[[4]](diffhunk://#diff-7a444242b2a6d9c642341bd2ef45f51ba5698ad7827e5136e85eb483863967a7L81-R93)
**AI agent prompt configuration:**
* Updated all prompt files in `.github/prompts/` to use the
`GPT-5.1-Codex-Max` model instead of older models, and standardized the
agent field format.
[[1]](diffhunk://#diff-7a5c9b18594ff83fda2c191fd5a401ca01b74451e8949dc09e14eabee15de165L1-R2)
[[2]](diffhunk://#diff-f48674f7557a6c623bb48120c41b4546b20b32f741cc13d82076b0f4b2375d98L1-R2)
[[3]](diffhunk://#diff-a6831d9c98a26487c89c39532ec54d26f8987a8bdc88c5becb9368e9d7e589b9L1-R2)
[[4]](diffhunk://#diff-60e145ef3296b0cb4bec35363cc8afbfe0b6b7bd0c7785fe16a11d98e38c6f29L1-R2)
[[5]](diffhunk://#diff-6a7664740d6984e73a33254333a302a7e258c638a17134921c53967b4965a304L1-R3)
[[6]](diffhunk://#diff-7b246ee6421c503c22d7994406b822ede18d7d0c791b7667a55fcd50524fb0b0L1-R2)
* Improved clarity and consistency in the description and instructions
within the `review-issue.prompt.md` file.
**Documentation and style rules:**
* Updated `.github/copilot-instructions.md` to clarify that C++ and C#
style analyzers and formatters are now enforced from the `src/`
directory, not the repo root, and made the C++ formatting rule more
precise.
## PR Checklist
- [N/A] Closes: #xxx
- [N/A] **Tests:** Added/updated and all pass
## Validation Steps Performed
- Not run (config/docs/build-script changes only).
## Summary of the Pull Request
- Added new Copilot agent prompts in
`.github/prompts/create-commit-title.prompt.md`,
`.github/prompts/create-pr.prompt.md`, and
`.github/prompts/fix-spelling.prompt.md` to streamline contributor
workflows.
- Refreshed `.github/copilot-instructions.md` with front matter and
clarified build/test guidance.
And added a new section titled `Language Style Rules` to help reduce
style issues in auto-generated code.
## Screenshot
a. For the new prompts, in VSCode, just type "/" and its name
<img width="477" height="124" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/37c7330d-6fdc-45b4-9030-95920920c964"
/>
<img width="446" height="105" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/55d3bb49-46cc-4441-9fb5-fed3a22983d9"
/>
b. All the spelling check problem, PR description, Commit title, are
generated and fixed by above prompts as demonstration (Except this
section)
## PR Checklist
- [x] **Communication:** I've discussed this with core contributors
already. If the work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
- [x] **Tests:** N/A on doc updates.
- [x] **Documentation updated:** If checked, please file a pull request
on [our docs
repo](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-uwp/tree/docs/hub/powertoys)
and link it here: #xxx (N/A)
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
- Introduced prompt definitions so local tooling can generate commit
titles, PR descriptions, and resolve spell-check alerts using consistent
instructions.
- Added GitHub CLI prerequisites inside
`.github/prompts/fix-spelling.prompt.md` to ensure `gh` commands succeed
for new contributors.
- Converted `.github/copilot-instructions.md` to YAML-front-matter
format while aligning headings and terminology with current contributor
guidance.
## Validation Steps Performed
- No automated tests were run; changes are documentation and
configuration only.
This pull request introduces concise, area-specific contributor guides
for the PowerToys repository. Each major code area now has its own
instructions file, clarifying scope, coding guidelines, and acceptance
criteria. This helps ensure consistency, reduces onboarding friction,
and sets clear expectations for contributors.
Reference doc:
https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/configure-custom-instructions/add-repository-instructions
New contributor guides added:
**General/Top-level guidance**
- Added `.github/copilot-instructions.md` as a concise, top-level guide
for AI-driven changes, including a repo map, build/test workflow, PR
expectations, and quick reference checklists.
**Area-specific instructions**
- Added `src/common/common.instructions.md` for shared libraries,
covering ABI stability, logging, performance, and dependency policies.
- Added `src/runner/runner.instructions.md` for the Runner/tray host,
detailing module management, IPC contract alignment, startup
performance, and elevation/update logic.
- Added `src/settings-ui/settings-ui.instructions.md` for the Settings
UI, with guidance on schema changes, IPC contract sync, UI
responsiveness, and style reuse.
