awesome-copilot/collections/TEMPLATE.md

Collections Template

Use this template to create a new collection of related prompts, instructions, and chat modes.

Basic Template

id: my-collection-id
name: My Collection Name
description: A brief description of what this collection provides and who should use it.
tags: [tag1, tag2, tag3] # Optional discovery tags
items:
  - path: prompts/my-prompt.prompt.md
    kind: prompt
  - path: instructions/my-instructions.instructions.md  
    kind: instruction
  - path: chatmodes/my-chatmode.chatmode.md
    kind: chat-mode
display:
  ordering: alpha # or "manual" to preserve order above
  show_badge: false # set to true to show collection badge

Field Descriptions

• id: Unique identifier using lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only
• name: Display name for the collection
• description: Brief explanation of the collection's purpose (1-500 characters)
• tags: Optional array of discovery tags (max 10, each 1-30 characters)
• items: Array of items in the collection (1-50 items)
  • path: Relative path from repository root to the file
  • kind: Must be prompt, instruction, or chat-mode
• display: Optional display settings
  • ordering: alpha (alphabetical) or manual (preserve order)
  • show_badge: Show collection badge on items (true/false)

Creating a New Collection

Using VS Code Tasks

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+P (or Cmd+Shift+P on Mac)
2. Type "Tasks: Run Task"
3. Select "create-collection"
4. Enter your collection ID when prompted

Using Command Line

node create-collection.js my-collection-id

Manual Creation

1. Create collections/my-collection-id.collection.yml
2. Use the template above as starting point
3. Add your items and customize settings
4. Run npm run validate:collections to validate
5. Run npm start to generate documentation

Validation

Collections are automatically validated to ensure:

• Required fields are present and valid
• File paths exist and match the item kind
• IDs are unique across collections
• Tags and display settings follow the schema

Run validation manually:

npm run validate:collections

File Organization

Collections don't require reorganizing existing files. Items can be located anywhere in the repository as long as the paths are correct in the manifest.

Best Practices

1. Meaningful Collections: Group items that work well together for a specific workflow or use case
2. Clear Naming: Use descriptive names and IDs that reflect the collection's purpose
3. Good Descriptions: Explain who should use the collection and what benefit it provides
4. Relevant Tags: Add discovery tags that help users find related collections
5. Reasonable Size: Keep collections focused - typically 3-10 items work well
6. Test Items: Ensure all referenced files exist and are functional before adding to a collection