Customizing AI Workflows Cheat Sheet

This content was generated with the assistance of AI and should be verified against the official documentation of each tool and framework before being relied on in production.

This section’s bibliography lists the reference material consulted while preparing these pages.

A single-page index of quick back-links to every page in this sub-section, grouped the same way as the sub-section itself — handy for jumping straight to the topic you need instead of paging through the full navigation.

The downloadable PDF is a separate, single A4 page meant for printing. It states the version baseline this sub-section targets — VS Code 1.139 with the GitHub Copilot Chat extension (the single extension that now ships every Copilot feature in VS Code), GitHub Copilot CLI 1.0.88 (@github/copilot) and Claude Code 2.1.283, all re-verified as current on 2026-09-28 — and covers:

  • the surfaces decision table (always-on rules → instructions, a reusable procedure → a skill or prompt file, an isolated worker → a subagent, deterministic enforcement → a hook, distribution → a plugin, external capability → MCP);

  • the file locations for both tools, including custom commands and their $ARGUMENTS / $0 placeholders;

  • the SKILL.md and agent frontmatter reference;

  • the hook events and exit codes;

  • the permission rule syntax and permission modes;

  • the plugin layout;

  • the 12 optimisation techniques;

  • the skill-testing checklist;

  • the security checklist.

Instructions and prompts — Instruction & Memory Files and Prompt Files & Slash Commands.

Skills — Skills and Writing Effective Skills.

Agents — Subagents & Custom Agents and Orchestration Patterns.

Automation and control — Hooks, Permissions & Settings, Configuring MCP Servers and Output Styles, Status Line & More.

Distribution — Plugins & Marketplaces.

Optimisation and quality — Optimizing Skills & Agents, Testing & Evaluating Skills, Security of Customizations and Copilot & Claude Code Equivalents.

Download the Customizing AI Workflows Cheat Sheet (PDF)

References

The PDF summarizes these official pages, grouped the same way as the navigation; each is cited in full on the page listed above that covers it, and in Customizing AI Workflows' bibliography.

Version baseline

Instructions and prompts

Skills

Agents

Automation and control

Distribution

Optimisation and quality