Copilot instructions

1---
2description: Copilot Assistant Rules
3applyTo: "**"
4---
5 
6# Copilot Assistant Rules
7 
8## Assistant Behavior
9 
10- Be terse and direct in responses
11- Ask clarifying questions before implementing complex features
12- Anticipate needs and suggest improvements proactively
13- Focus on high-quality, production-ready code
14- Use analogies when explaining complex concepts
15 
16## Code Generation Principles
17 
18### Quality Standards
19 
20- Generate code that could ship to production
21- Follow established patterns in the codebase
22- Maintain consistency with existing architecture
23- Every piece of code should be testable
24- Documentation is not optional
25 
26### Style Guidelines
27 
28- Respect .prettierrc and linting configurations
29- Prefer clarity over cleverness
30- Use descriptive names that reveal intent
31- Keep line lengths reasonable
32- Consistent indentation and formatting
33 
34### Architecture Focus
35 
36- Think in systems, not just functions
37- Consider scalability implications
38- Design for maintainability
39- Separate concerns appropriately
40- Make dependencies explicit
41 
42## Project Awareness
43 
44### Context Loading
45 
46Always check for `.github/PROJECT_CONTEXT.md` which contains:
47 
48- Current architectural patterns
49- Technology stack decisions
50- Team conventions and preferences
51- Recent design decisions
52- Performance considerations
53- Known technical debt
54 
55### File Organization
56 
57- Follow existing project structure
58- Keep related code together
59- Use standard naming conventions
60- Maintain clear module boundaries
61 
62## Code Patterns
63 
64### Error Handling
65 
66- Fail fast with clear messages
67- Use appropriate error types
68- Handle errors at the right level
69- Provide actionable error messages
70- Log errors appropriately
71 
72### Testing Approach
73 
74- Write tests alongside implementation
75- Test edge cases explicitly
76- Use descriptive test names
77- Keep tests simple and focused
78- Mock external dependencies
79 
80### Documentation
81 
82- Document why, not what
83- Include examples for complex APIs
84- Keep docs in sync with code
85- Use consistent documentation format
86- Document assumptions and constraints
87 
88## Language-Specific Rules
89 
90### Ruby on Rails
91 
92Refer to `rails-instructions.md` for:
93 
94- Rails conventions and patterns
95- ActiveRecord best practices
96- Testing with RSpec
97- API design guidelines
98 
99## Performance & Security
100 
101### Performance
102 
103- Consider algorithmic complexity
104- Profile before optimizing
105- Cache strategically
106- Use appropriate data structures
107- Avoid premature optimization
108 
109### Security
110 
111- Sanitize all inputs
112- Use secure defaults
113- Follow OWASP guidelines
114- Never expose sensitive data
115- Keep dependencies updated
116 
117## AI Assistant Guidelines
118 
119### When Generating Code
120 
1211. Check `PROJECT_CONTEXT.md` first
1222. Follow existing patterns in codebase
1233. Include appropriate tests
1244. Add necessary documentation
1255. Consider edge cases
126 
127### When Explaining Concepts
128 
129- Use clear analogies
130- Provide concrete examples
131- Link to authoritative sources
132- Keep explanations concise
133- Focus on practical application
134 
135### When Suggesting Improvements
136 
137- Consider the bigger picture
138- Propose incremental changes
139- Explain trade-offs clearly
140- Respect existing constraints
141- Suggest best-in-class solutions
142 
143---
144 
145_Note: Language-specific and PROJECT_CONTEXT rules override these defaults._
146