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

Install the i-have-adhd skill using npx skills add ayghri/i-have-adhd -a github-copilot, verify it appears when typing / in Copilot chat, then invoke it with /i-have-adhd or enable always-on mode via .github/copilot-instructions.md.

The i-have-adhd repository delivers an Agent Skill that optimizes AI coding assistant output for ADHD cognitive patterns. According to the source code in ayghri/i-have-adhd, GitHub Copilot (both VS Code and CLI versions) can consume this skill to restructure responses with clear action steps, bounded tasks, and immediate next actions.

Installing the i-have-adhd Skill for GitHub Copilot

Install via Copilot CLI (Recommended)

The fastest method uses the npx skills CLI to register the skill with Copilot. This clones the skills/i-have-adhd folder into Copilot’s skill scanning locations and loads the SKILL.md definition automatically.

For project-specific installation:

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

For global installation across all projects:

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

When executed, these commands place the skill in .github/skills/ (project) or ~/.copilot/skills/ (global). Copilot then reads skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md, which contains the ADHD output rules and the disable-model-invocation: true flag, ensuring the skill only activates when explicitly invoked.

Manual Installation (Alternative)

If you prefer not to use the CLI, manually copy the skill directory from the repository:

# 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/

Copilot discovers the skill automatically on the next startup by scanning the ~/.copilot/skills/ directory for valid SKILL.md files.

Verifying the Skill Installation

Open any Copilot chat interface (VS Code chat panel or Copilot CLI) and type a single slash /. The dropdown should list i-have-adhd among available skills.

Alternatively, verify installation via the CLI helper:

# List project-specific skills

npx skills list

# List globally installed skills

npx skills ls -g

Successful output shows i-have-adhd in the registered skills list, confirming that Copilot has loaded the configuration from SKILL.md as referenced in the repository’s INSTALL.md (lines 80-86).

Enabling Always-On ADHD-Optimized Output

By default, the skill requires explicit invocation because disable-model-invocation: true is set in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md. To apply ADHD-optimized formatting automatically to every Copilot chat without typing /i-have-adhd, create a .github/copilot-instructions.md file in your repository root:

## 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").

Copilot automatically reads this file into every chat context, enforcing the ADHD output rules without manual skill invocation. This approach bypasses the disable-model-invocation restriction by embedding the instructions directly into Copilot’s system prompt.

Using the Skill in Copilot Chat

Explicit invocation: Type /i-have-adhd followed by your request. For example:

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

Copilot formats the response according to the 10 ADHD rules defined in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md, leading with the code snippet or command, numbering steps, and ending with an immediate next action.

Indirect usage: Because the skill metadata sets disable-model-invocation: true, Copilot will not automatically trigger the skill based on context detection. You must either use explicit invocation or rely on the always-on .github/copilot-instructions.md method described above.

Summary

• Install the skill via npx skills add ayghri/i-have-adhd -a github-copilot or manual copy to ~/.copilot/skills/
• Verify installation by typing / in Copilot chat or running npx skills list
• Invoke explicitly with /i-have-adhd before prompts, or enable automatic application via .github/copilot-instructions.md
• Source files driving the behavior include skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md (rules and flags) and INSTALL.md (setup instructions)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I install i-have-adhd for all my GitHub Copilot projects?

Run npx skills add ayghri/i-have-adhd -a github-copilot -g to install globally, which copies the skill to ~/.copilot/skills/. Alternatively, manually clone the repository and copy skills/i-have-adhd to ~/.copilot/skills/ so Copilot loads it for every workspace.

Why do I need to manually invoke the skill with /i-have-adhd?

The SKILL.md file in skills/i-have-adhd/ contains disable-model-invocation: true, which prevents Copilot from automatically triggering the skill based on context. This design ensures you control when the ADHD-optimized output style applies rather than having the model decide.

Can I use i-have-adhd with GitHub Copilot without the CLI?

Yes. Clone the repository manually, create ~/.copilot/skills/ if it does not exist, and copy the skills/i-have-adhd folder there. Copilot scans this directory on startup and loads the skill without requiring the npx skills CLI tool.

What file controls the ADHD output rules in Copilot?

The rules are defined in skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md within the repository. This file specifies the 10 ADHD-optimized output instructions and the disable-model-invocation flag. For always-on behavior without explicit invocation, copy these rules into .github/copilot-instructions.md in your project root.

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