How to Integrate i-have-adhd with GitHub Copilot: Complete Setup Guide

Integrate i-have-adhd with GitHub Copilot by installing the Agent Skill via the CLI (npx skills add ayghri/i-have-adhd -a github-copilot) or manual copy, then invoke it with /i-have-adhd in any Copilot chat.

The ayghri/i-have-adhd repository provides an ADHD-optimized output style for large language models, packaged as an Agent Skill compatible with GitHub Copilot. When integrated, Copilot reads the SKILL.md file from the skills/i-have-adhd directory and applies structured, action-focused formatting to help developers with ADHD process information more efficiently.

What Is the i-have-adhd Agent Skill?

The i-have-adhd skill is defined in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md and implements the Agent Skills specification for LLM-powered coding assistants. It contains a specific set of output rules designed to reduce cognitive load, including leading with actionable items, numbering multi-step workflows, and restating progress each turn. The skill metadata includes disable-model-invocation: true, meaning Copilot will not automatically trigger the style and you must invoke it explicitly unless you configure always-on mode.

Installation Methods

You can integrate the skill either through the Copilot CLI (recommended) or by manually copying the skill files to Copilot's scan directories.

Install via Copilot CLI (Recommended)

The fastest way to integrate i-have-adhd with GitHub Copilot is using the npx skills command. This automatically clones the skill into the correct location and registers it with Copilot.

For the current project only:

npx skills add ayghri/i-have-adhd -a github-copilot

For all projects globally:

npx skills add ayghri/i-have-adhd -a github-copilot -g

What happens: The CLI clones the skills/i-have-adhd folder into .github/skills/ (project scope) or ~/.copilot/skills/ (global scope). Copilot then reads SKILL.md and registers the skill as /i-have-adhd.

Manual Installation

If you prefer not to use the CLI or need to customize the skill first, copy the files manually:

# Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd

# Create the global Copilot skills directory

mkdir -p ~/.copilot/skills

# Copy the skill folder

cp -R i-have-adhd/skills/i-have-adhd ~/.copilot/skills/

After copying, Copilot will discover the skill automatically on the next restart. According to the repository's INSTALL.md (lines 71-77), this method works for both VS Code and Copilot CLI environments.

Verify Your Integration

Once installed, confirm that Copilot recognizes the skill before attempting to use it.

In VS Code: Open the Copilot chat panel and type a single slash /. You should see i-have-adhd listed among available skills.

Via CLI: Run the verification commands to list registered skills:

# List project-scoped skills

npx skills list

# List globally installed skills

npx skills ls -g

If the skill appears in the output, the integration is successful and you can proceed to use it in your workflow.

Usage: Explicit Invocation and Always-On Mode

The skill supports two usage patterns: on-demand invocation for specific queries, or automatic application to every chat session.

Explicit Skill Invocation

To use the ADHD-optimized style for a specific request, prepend your prompt with the skill trigger:

/i-have-adhd refactor this function to use async/await

When invoked this way, Copilot formats its response according to the rules defined in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md, including leading with the answer, numbering steps, and ending with a sub-two-minute next action.

Enable Always-On Mode

To automatically apply the ADHD style to every Copilot interaction without typing /i-have-adhd, create a .github/copilot-instructions.md file in your repository root:

mkdir -p .github
cat <<'EOF' > .github/copilot-instructions.md

## Output style

The reader has ADHD. Shape every response so it can be acted on:

1. Lead with the answer or next action: command, path, or snippet first.
2. Number multi-step work; one bounded action per step.
3. End with one next action doable in under two minutes.
4. Finish the current issue before raising a new one.
5. Restate progress each turn ("step 3 of 5 done").
EOF

Copilot automatically reads this file into every chat context, effectively making the i-have-adhd style the default output format for your repository (as documented in INSTALL.md, lines 108-114).

How the Skill Works Under the Hood

The integration relies on Copilot's Agent Skills protocol. When you install the skill, Copilot parses skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md to extract:

• Skill name: i-have-adhd
• Invocation trigger: /i-have-adhd
• Behavior flags: disable-model-invocation: true (requires explicit use)
• Output rules: 10 specific formatting instructions optimized for ADHD cognitive patterns

Because disable-model-invocation is set to true in the skill definition (lines 1-5 of SKILL.md), the model will not automatically apply these rules based on context detection. You must either invoke it explicitly via slash command or use the always-on instruction file method described above.

Summary

• Install the skill using npx skills add ayghri/i-have-adhd -a github-copilot for local scope or add -g for global use.
• Verify installation by checking for /i-have-adhd in the Copilot skills list or running npx skills list.
• Invoke explicitly with /i-have-adhd before your prompt, or create .github/copilot-instructions.md for always-on behavior.
• Key files: skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md defines the formatting rules; INSTALL.md contains platform-specific guidance for GitHub Copilot integration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use i-have-adhd with GitHub Copilot in JetBrains IDEs?

Currently, the Agent Skills specification used by ayghri/i-have-adhd is primarily supported in VS Code and the Copilot CLI. JetBrains IDE support depends on Copilot's feature parity across editors. Check the repository's INSTALL.md for the latest platform compatibility updates.

Why doesn't Copilot automatically apply the ADHD style without the slash command?

The SKILL.md file explicitly sets disable-model-invocation: true to prevent automatic triggering. This design choice ensures that the structured, step-by-step formatting only appears when you specifically request it, avoiding potential disruption to standard coding workflows.

How do I uninstall the i-have-adhd skill from Copilot?

If you installed via CLI, remove it using npx skills remove i-have-adhd. For manual installations, delete the i-have-adhd folder from .github/skills/ (project scope) or ~/.copilot/skills/ (global scope). If you created .github/copilot-instructions.md, delete or modify that file to remove the always-on behavior.

Can I customize the ADHD output rules for my team?

Yes. Since the skill is open source, you can fork ayghri/i-have-adhd, modify the rules in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md, and install your custom version using the manual installation method pointing to your fork. Alternatively, adjust the content of .github/copilot-instructions.md to include organization-specific conventions while maintaining the core ADHD-optimized structure.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}