Custom Instruction

18 Nov 20187 minutes to read

Custom Instruction in Code Studio allow you to provide specific instructions that guide how the AI assistant behaves when working with your code. Instead of the AI making assumptions about your coding standards, architecture patterns, or project-specific requirements, you can explicitly define guidelines that ensure consistent, contextually appropriate responses.

What is Custom Instruction?

• Define guidelines and rules that automatically influence how AI generates code and handles development tasks.
• Reduce repeated context by specifying instructions in a Markdown file instead of every chat prompt.
• Apply instructions automatically to all chat requests or limit them to specific files.
• Attach instructions manually to a specific chat prompt when needed.

Types of Instruction Files

There are two types of instruction files:

1. Repository-wise Instructions

• Apply rules to the entire repository.
• Once configured, the AI assistant automatically follows these guidelines for all chats and code contexts in the repo.
• use this when you want one consistent set of standards across the whole project.
• File Type: codestudio-instructions.md
• Location: .codestudio/codestudio-instructions.md (at the repository root)

2. Path-specific Instructions

• Apply rules only when certain files or folders are in context.
• Useful when different parts of your project (e.g., frontend vs backend) need different coding standards.
• File Type: *.instructions.md
• Location: .codestudio/instructions/
  • Example: .codestudio/instructions/python.instructions.md
  • Example: .codestudio/instructions/frontend.instructions.md

Purpose

• Provide durable, repo-specific guidance the assistant follows automatically.
• Cut repeated chat instructions by setting defaults for behavior, style, tools, and project context.
• Support path-specific rules so guidance matches the code you’re working on.

Enabling Custom Instruction Files

Step 1: Open settings at the bottom left in Code Studio.

Step 2: Select Code Studio Settings in the pop-up options.

Step 3: Click Instruction in the settings options.

You will see three options:

• Option 1: Repository-wise instructions
  • Use this option when you want one set of rules for the entire repository.
  • Switch ON the repo path to enable the file.

  

  • Once enabled, the AI assistant will automatically apply these instructions to all chats and code contexts in your project.
• Option 2: Path-specific instructions
  • Use this option when you want different rules for different file types or folders.
  • Switch ON the repo path to enable the file.

  

• Option 3: Add New Path-specific Location
  • Click the Add New Location in the instruction settings page.

  

  • You can add a new custom file path and switch ON the path specific settings.

  

  • Use this option when you want to create a new instruction file for a custom path.

How to Configure Repository-wise Instruction File

Step 1: Open the codestudio-instructions.md file.

• There are two options to open the codestudio-instructions.md file. You can choose any one of them based on your preference.
  • Option 1:
    • Open the chat view.

    

    • Clcik the Generate agent instructions to open the file.
  • Option 2:
    • Open the chat view. Click the settings option at the top.

    

    • Select the “Generate agent instructions” in the pop up.

Step 2: Now Code Studio will automatically create and open codestudio-instructions.md.

Step 3: Customize the file to fit your project needs.
Step 4: Open chat view and send a message. Now the instruction file will be referenced automatically.

How to Configure Path-specific Instruction File

Step 1: Click Settings from the top right and clcik chat instructions

Step 2: Click New Instruction File.

Step 3: Choose where to save your file

• There are two options to save your instruction. You can choose any one of them based on your preference.

  • Option 1: Workspace:
    • Save to .codestudio/instructions/ folder in your project.
    • Use when: Sharing with your team while committing your source.
    • Location: YOUR-PROJECT/.codestudio/instructions instruction-name.instructions.md.
  • Option 2: User Profile:
    • Saves to: Your user profile folder.
    • Use when: Using across multiple projects.
    • Benefit: Available in all workspaces.

    

  • Select your preferred location and click to Continue.

Step 4: Name your instruction file

• For example, here the instruction file name entered is test.instructions.md.

Step 5: The new file will be open automatically for editing.

Step 6: Target the path-specific instructions file

• For example, here target the test.instructions.md file.

• There are two options to target your path specific instruction. You can choose any one of them based on your preference.

Option 1: Global Path Targeting

• Definition: applyTo: '**'
• Applies rules globally to all files in the repository.

• Best when you want rules to apply across every file types (e.g.,.ts, .scss, .js, .html).

• Steps to target the global path:
  • Step 1: Use path Like '**'

  

  • Step 2: Add instructions in the test-instructions.md.

  

  • Step 3: Open chat and send message your instruction will come in the used reference.

  

Option 2: Pattern-specific Targeting

• Definition: applyTo: **/*.scss or other patterns. for example (**/*.ts, **/*.css)
• Applies rules only to files matching the given pattern.

• Best for adding rules to certain file types or directories.

• Steps to target the pattern specific path
  • Step 1: Use any specific path like ‘**/*.scss’.

  

  • Step 2: Add instructions in the test-instructions.md.

  

  • Step 3: Give the file in the chat context which you want to edit.

  

  • Step 4: Open chat and send message your instruction file will come in the used reference.