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Using skillshare with GitHub Copilot

From install to first sync — 5 minutes.

Prerequisites​

  • GitHub Copilot coding agent enabled in VS Code or JetBrains
  • macOS, Linux, or Windows

Step 1: Install skillshare​

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/runkids/skillshare/main/install.sh | sh

Step 2: Initialize​

skillshare init

This detects Copilot's skill directory (~/.copilot/skills/) and adds it as a target automatically.

We've received reports that Copilot sometimes fails to follow symlinks correctly. To avoid issues, switch the Copilot target to copy mode:

skillshare target copilot --mode copy

Copy mode physically copies skill files into ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of creating symlinks. The trade-off is that source edits aren't reflected instantly — you need to run skillshare sync to propagate changes. But it's more reliable across platforms.

When to use merge (symlink) mode

If you're on macOS or Linux and Copilot reads symlinks correctly on your machine, the default merge mode works fine. You can always switch back:

skillshare target copilot --mode merge

Step 4: Install Your First Skill​

skillshare install runkids/my-skills

Step 5: Sync​

skillshare sync

Skills are copied to ~/.copilot/skills/. Copilot picks them up as custom instructions.

Step 6: Verify​

ls ~/.copilot/skills/

You should see your installed skills as real directories (in copy mode) or symlinks (in merge mode).

Copilot-Specific Notes​

  • Skill path: ~/.copilot/skills/ (global) or .github/skills/ (project)
  • Project mode: Run skillshare init -p to manage project-level Copilot skills — they go into .github/skills/ alongside your codebase
  • Symlink issues: If Copilot doesn't pick up your skills, check if your target is in merge mode (skillshare status) and switch to copy mode as described above
  • .github/copilot-instructions.md: If you have an existing instructions file, skillshare skills complement it — they don't replace it

What's Next?​