Instructions vs Skills vs Hooks & More Explained By Copilot Itself | Ep 7 of 8
Reynald Adolphe uses GitHub Copilot in VS Code to clarify the differences between several Copilot/VS Code customization features—then shows a few practical ways to learn and remember when to use each.
Full summary based on transcript
What the video is about
The presenter focuses on common points of confusion around Copilot-related customization in VS Code and uses Copilot itself to explain:
- Custom Instructions
- Prompt Files
- Agent Skills
- Custom Agents
- Hooks
Using the customization documentation as a starting point
- The presenter references the VS Code customization docs as the baseline source.
- Copilot is then used to help interpret and compare the features in plain language.
Using Copilot to compare features
The presenter demonstrates using Copilot to:
- Explain each feature in isolation
- Contrast similar-sounding features
- Summarize “when to use what” in a more structured way
Building a comparison chart
- Copilot is used to generate a comparison chart that puts the features side-by-side.
- The goal is to make the key differences visible “at a glance” (purpose, scope, and typical usage).
Reinforcing understanding with quizzes
- The presenter uses Copilot to create quiz-style questions.
- This is positioned as a way to practice recall and build intuition about which customization option fits a given need.
Consolidating notes into a reusable reference (HTML)
- The presenter consolidates the comparison material into an HTML file.
- This acts as a reusable reference that can be revisited later.
Learning through scenarios
- Copilot is used to walk through scenarios and map them to the right feature.
- The emphasis is on practical decision-making: picking the right customization mechanism for a specific situation.
Wrap-up
- The presenter summarizes the differences between Custom Instructions, Prompt Files, Agent Skills, Custom Agents, and Hooks.
- The takeaway is a set of learning techniques (charts, quizzes, scenario prompts, and a saved reference file) to reduce confusion and make the features easier to apply.