Create specialised GitHub Copilot agents

GitHub Copilot cloud agent can research a repository, make code changes on a branch, improve tests and documentation, and create a pull request. Custom agents, instructions, hooks, skills, and MCP servers let teams specialise that behavior for jobs such as frontend work, testing, documentation, or governed repository automation.

Setup path

How to approach this capability

1
Define the agent role, repository boundary, success criteria, and required tools for one focused development job.
2
Add instructions and any approved MCP, hooks, or skills, then evaluate the agent through reviewable branch and pull-request output.

Distribution decision

Repository configuration provides an auditable shared place for agent customisation.

Governance and safety

Keep task scope small enough for the documented execution limit and retain pull-request review as the approval boundary.

First-party documentation

About GitHub Copilot cloud agent
Source checked Aug 16, 2026