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no-blank-repository-instructions

Disallow empty repository-wide Copilot instructions files.

Rule catalog ID: R004

Targeted pattern scope​

  • .github/copilot-instructions.md
  • .github/instructions/copilot-instructions.md

What this rule reports​

  • repository-wide instructions files whose visible body content is blank after trimming comments and whitespace

Why this rule exists​

GitHub Copilot repository instructions are the baseline customization surface for a repository. An empty .github/copilot-instructions.md or .github/instructions/copilot-instructions.md file communicates intent to customize Copilot, but it provides no usable guidance.

❌ Incorrect​

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✅ Correct​

# Repository guidance

- Prefer Flat Config for ESLint.
- Run `npm test` before proposing changes.
- Keep prompt files in `.github/prompts/` and path-specific instructions in `.github/instructions/`.

Further reading​