Feature request: Copilot CLI: --no-instructions

[taughz]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Product Feedback

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Other

Body

This is a feature request. I would like to start Copilot without it reading any custom instructions. I would like because I want to avoid using up context on instructions I don't actually want in some situations. This would be similar to using /instructions and toggling everything off, but I would like to use it non-interactively, for example: copilot --no-instructions -p "Whatever"

[github-actions[bot]]

💬 Your Product Feedback Has Been Submitted 🎉

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us! Your feedback is invaluable as we build a better GitHub experience for all our users.

Here's what you can expect moving forward ⏩

• Your input will be carefully reviewed and cataloged by members of our product teams. 
  • Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not always be able to provide individual responses.
  • Rest assured, your feedback will help chart our course for product improvements.
• Other users may engage with your post, sharing their own perspectives or experiences. 
• GitHub staff may reach out for further clarification or insight. 
  • We may 'Answer' your discussion if there is a current solution, workaround, or roadmap/changelog post related to the feedback.

Where to look to see what's shipping 👀

• Read the Changelog for real-time updates on the latest GitHub features, enhancements, and calls for feedback.
• Explore our Product Roadmap, which details upcoming major releases and initiatives.

What you can do in the meantime 💻

• Upvote and comment on other user feedback Discussions that resonate with you.
• Add more information at any point! Useful details include: use cases, relevant labels, desired outcomes, and any accompanying screenshots.

As a member of the GitHub community, your participation is essential. While we can't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, we want to emphasize that your feedback is instrumental in guiding our decisions and priorities.

Thank you once again for your contribution to making GitHub even better! We're grateful for your ongoing support and collaboration in shaping the future of our platform. ⭐

[itxashancode]

Feature Request: --no-instructions Flag for Copilot CLI

Summary

This request proposes adding a --no-instructions flag to the GitHub Copilot CLI to allow users to start a session without loading any custom instructions (from /instructions files or --instructions-file). This would conserve context window tokens and provide cleaner, instruction-free responses when needed—especially useful for quick queries, testing, or automation where custom guidelines are irrelevant.

---

Current Behavior

Today, Copilot CLI automatically loads custom instructions from:

1. A .copilot/instructions file in the current working directory (or parent directories).
2. A file specified via --instructions-file <path>.

There is no built-in way to bypass this non-interactively. Users must manually toggle instructions off via the /instructions command during an interactive session, which:

• Still consumes initial context tokens loading the instructions.
• Is not scriptable or suitable for automation.

---

Proposed Solution

Add a --no-instructions CLI flag that overrides any instruction loading, behaving as if no custom instructions exist for that session.

Example Command

copilot --no-instructions -p "Explain this function"

(Assuming -p is the prompt flag; adjust to actual CLI syntax.)

How It Would Work

• When --no-instructions is present:
  • Ignore any .copilot/instructions files in the project hierarchy.
  • Ignore any --instructions-file argument (even if provided).
  • Start the session with an empty instruction set.
• Without the flag, existing behavior remains unchanged.

---

Why This Is Needed

1. Token Efficiency
   Custom instructions can be lengthy (e.g., project style guides, architecture rules). Disabling them frees tokens for user prompts and code context—critical for large codebases or complex queries.

2. Automation & Scripting
   CI/CD jobs, scripts, or custom tooling often need raw Copilot output without project-specific biases. The current /instructions toggle requires interactive TTY, making automation impossible.

3. Use Cases

   • Quick, one-off questions unrelated to project conventions.
   • Testing how Copilot responds without your custom rules.
   • Generating generic examples or boilerplate where instructions add noise.

---

Workaround Today (Suboptimal)

You can simulate this by pointing to an empty file:

touch /tmp/empty-instructions
copilot --instructions-file /tmp/empty-instructions -p "Explain this"

But this is:

• Clunky (requires file creation/cleanup).
• Easy to forget.
• Not intuitive or discoverable.

---

Implementation Notes for GitHub

• Priority: Medium—addresses

[shinybrightstar]

Welcome to the GitHub Community, @taughz, we're happy you're here! You are more likely to get a useful response if you are posting your question(s) in the applicable category. Check out this Guide on how to post in the right category. It'll ensure your questions and discussions reach the right people faster!

This particular discussion belongs in the Copilot Conversations category, I've gone ahead and moved it for you. Good luck!

[taughz]

So this was moved. And also resolved. I guess community discussions is not the place to ask for Copilot features? Should I write an issue against the actual repo? That seems like the right thing. I only posted here because Copilot suggested it. 😆