AIDFlow helps developers and teams give AI coding agents a clear development process. The agent follows the flows; you approve key decisions.
Add AIDFlow to a repository
- Download the Copilot reference
- Save it as
.github/copilot-instructions.md in your repository. If that file exists, add the reference to it; keep your existing instructions.
- Ask your agent to use AIDFlow for your development task. It reads the online rules and retrieves the flows it needs.
Your agent needs access to the linked files. You do not need to download the diagrams or set up this viewer.
New GitHub repository with Copilot
Start on GitHub without a local checkout. Copilot prepares the AIDFlow setup in a branch and opens a pull request. You do not need a product name or project description yet: the first task asks you questions in the pull request and waits for your answers before drafting the concept.
Before you start: sign in to a GitHub account with access to Copilot's coding agent. Availability depends on your plan and organization policies; usage limits may apply. If the Jumpstart option is missing, create the repository normally and use the other setup method.
Network access: GitHub's Copilot Jumpstart agent can read AIDFlow's public raw GitHub files. No repository Copilot firewall setting needs to be changed for AIDFlow.
- Open GitHub's new repository page. Choose the owner, repository name and visibility, and complete the repository settings. The repository needs a name, but it does not have to be the final product name.
- Find Jumpstart your project with Copilot (optional) and paste the prompt below as-is. No project description or product decisions are needed yet. Do not include passwords, tokens or other secrets.
- Create the repository with the prompt included. Follow GitHub's link to the Copilot task or pull request. Copilot works asynchronously; the session log shows its progress and any access problems.
- If AIDFlow retrieval fails, inspect the pull request body, comments or session log for the exact URL and fetch error. Report the blocker; do not change repository firewall settings as part of AIDFlow setup.
- Read the pull request and check that
.github/copilot-instructions.md points to AIDFlow. After initializing the AIDFlow workspace, Copilot should post a comment titled Questions for the project owner. If the project purpose is not already clear, it should start by asking what the project should do or what problem it should solve, then ask only for additional information AIDFlow identifies as missing. Do not rely on questions appearing only in the pull request description. Copilot must not invent project details, draft or approve the concept, or implement product code before you respond.
- Whenever you want Copilot to process a reply, include
@copilot in that pull request comment. You can bundle several answers into one comment, but a plain reply may not start or resume a task. Mention @copilot again when answering follow-up questions or asking Copilot to continue. If the initial questions are missing, use @copilot to ask for them. Do not merge the pull request yet.
- After your reply, Copilot should use your answers to draft
.aidflow/concept.md and request your review. Ask for revisions in the pull request if needed. Approve only the exact concept version you agree with; merging alone is not approval.
- Once the setup and concept are satisfactory and required checks pass, merge the pull request when permitted. Continue with a new Copilot task or your local coding agent, asking it to read the repository instructions and resume AIDFlow from
.aidflow/index.md.
Jumpstart prompt
Set up this new repository to use AIDFlow. Do not assume or invent a product name, project idea, users, requirements or technical choices.
Read https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vanlangenlabs/aidflow/main/aidflow.md and follow its Project entry point and referenced source flows, resolving relative paths from that URL and keeping all sources on the same version. If you cannot access them, report the blocker instead of inventing the workflow.
Create .github/copilot-instructions.md with this reference, preserving any existing instructions:
# AIDFlow
For development work, read and follow https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vanlangenlabs/aidflow/main/aidflow.md before acting or resuming. Resolve its Project and flow links relative to that URL and keep all sources on the same version. If inaccessible, report the limitation and request an accessible copy; do not guess.
Initialize the consuming project's .aidflow/ workspace as directed by AIDFlow, preserving existing files. Then start the Concept Question interaction in a pull request comment. If the project purpose is not already clear, first ask what I want the project to do or what problem it should solve. Follow AIDFlow's Question protocol and Concept phase example to identify any other missing information and ask only focused questions needed to fill .aidflow/concept.md. Do not draft .aidflow/concept.md or proceed to feature intake until I have answered. Do not invent missing decisions, approve records on my behalf or implement product code.
Use the pull request to explain the setup changes, checks performed and how to resume the workflow. Record the unanswered questions and next action as a pending interaction in .aidflow/index.md. Post the missing-information questions in a pull request comment titled "Questions for the project owner"; do not put them only in the pull request description. If you cannot post a comment, state that limitation clearly in the pull request and stop. Tell me to include @copilot in every pull request comment whose answer or instruction you should process; I may bundle multiple answers in one comment. Explain that a plain reply may not start or resume a task. Repeat this reminder for follow-up questions. End this task after asking; do not continue until I respond.
After I answer, resume from .aidflow/index.md, use my answers to draft .aidflow/concept.md, and present that exact version for review and explicit approval. Keep any unresolved questions visible. Do not begin feature intake or implementation until the concept is approved.
If the cloud session stops while waiting for approval, continue in a new task with the same repository records. If AIDFlow retrieval fails, inspect and report the exact fetch error instead of changing repository firewall settings or guessing. Some web-reading tools cannot process the MIME type GitHub Pages assigns to .mmd files; use a permitted text-download tool to read the original source. If retrieval remains unavailable, provide an accessible, consistent copy of the instructions and flows before proceeding.
GitHub documentation: Copilot coding agent
AIDFlow provides the workflow, not the skills or tools. It guides your coding agent through development stages, checks and approvals. Your agent uses its own capabilities, available skills and tools to carry out the work.
AIDFlow is in beta. Review the agent’s work and share feedback on unclear steps or unexpected behavior.