Add markdown formatting guidelines to create-agentic-workflow template #10580

Copilot · 2026-01-18T14:18:58Z

Add Markdown Formatting Guidelines to Workflow Creation Template ✅

Completed Tasks

Review existing prompt files and reporting.md to understand patterns
Create markdown formatting guidelines section
Add guidelines to .github/aw/create-agentic-workflow.md template
Ensure guidelines are concise and actionable
Move guidelines under the Guidelines section as a bullet point
Recompile all workflows to remove any previously embedded guidelines
Run validation checks

Summary

Added markdown formatting guidelines to the .github/aw/create-agentic-workflow.md template file as a bullet point under the "Guidelines" section. This provides guidance to the workflow creation agent without embedding the guidelines into every compiled workflow.

Key Changes

1. Added Markdown Formatting Guidelines as Guideline Item

Added markdown formatting guidelines to .github/aw/create-agentic-workflow.md under the "Guidelines" section:

- **Markdown formatting guidelines**: When creating workflow prompts that generate reports or documentation output, include these markdown formatting guidelines:
  - Use GitHub-flavored markdown (GFM) for all output
  - **Headers**: Start at h3 (###) to maintain proper document hierarchy
  - **Checkboxes**: Use `- [ ]` for unchecked and `- [x]` for checked task items
  - **Progressive Disclosure**: Use `<details><summary><b>Bold Summary Text</b></summary>` to collapse long content
  - **Workflow Run Links**: Format as `[§12345](https://github.com/owner/repo/actions/runs/12345)`. Do NOT add footer attribution (system adds automatically)

2. Recompiled All Workflows

All 129 workflows successfully recompiled
Lock files no longer contain embedded markdown guidelines
Guidelines are now available only in the workflow creation template as part of the Guidelines section

Rationale

This approach is better than embedding guidelines in every compiled workflow because:

Guidelines are available to the create-agentic-workflow agent when creating new workflows
Compiled lock files remain clean and focused
No runtime overhead from embedded guidelines
Easier to maintain and update guidelines in one location
Properly organized as a guideline item rather than a separate section

Testing Performed

✅ Binary built successfully
✅ All 129 workflows compiled successfully
✅ Verified markdown guidelines appear in create-agentic-workflow.md under Guidelines section
✅ Verified lock files no longer contain embedded guidelines
✅ Code formatting passed (make fmt)

Files Changed

.github/aw/create-agentic-workflow.md - Added markdown formatting guidelines to Guidelines section
.github/workflows/*.lock.yml - Recompiled (129 files) - no embedded guidelines
.github/aw/campaign-generator.lock.yml - Recompiled - no embedded guidelines

Original prompt

Add a built prompt file for markdown generation that takes the content of reports.me

use github flavor markdown

use checkbox syntax for tasks

start headers at h3

progressive discovery of long content using HTML details. Summary bolded.

Review existing prompts, reports.md and centralize markdown prompts in new file "markdown.md"

💬 We'd love your input! Share your thoughts on Copilot coding agent in our 2 minute survey.

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

pelikhan

@copilot make sure prompt it compiled in lock files with others

pelikhan · 2026-01-18T14:39:11Z

pkg/workflow/prompts/markdown.md

@@ -0,0 +1,363 @@
+# Markdown Formatting Guidelines


@copilot wrap in markdown xmk tags
Make it super concise, do not provide structural guidelines beyond heading level

Done in 8d99c69. Wrapped in <markdown-guidelines> XML tags and made super concise (11 lines). Removed all structural guidelines beyond heading level - kept only: GFM, headers start at h3, checkboxes, progressive disclosure, and workflow run links.

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-01-18T14:50:59Z

@copilot make sure prompt it compiled in lock files with others

Done in 8d99c69. The markdown prompt is now embedded via //go:embed in sh.go and added to the unified prompt step collection (section 8 in collectPromptSections). It compiles into all workflow lock files automatically.

pelikhan · 2026-01-18T14:55:13Z

.github/aw/campaign-generator.lock.yml

+          
+          **Progressive Disclosure**: Use `<details><summary><b>Bold Summary Text</b></summary>` to collapse long content.
+          
+          **Workflow Run Links**: Format as `[§12345](https://github.com/owner/repo/actions/runs/12345)`. Include up to 3 most relevant runs under `**References:**` at the end. Do NOT add footer attribution (system adds automatically).


@copilot remove references sentence

Done in 2cca6f1. Removed the "Include up to 3 most relevant runs under **References:** at the end." sentence from the workflow run links guideline. The line now only specifies the format and footer warning.

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

github-actions · 2026-01-18T15:09:39Z

✨ The prophecy is fulfilled... Smoke Codex has completed its mystical journey. The stars align. 🌟

github-actions · 2026-01-18T15:09:43Z

🎬 THE END — Smoke Claude MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED! The hero saves the day! ✨

github-actions · 2026-01-18T15:09:43Z

📰 VERDICT: Smoke Copilot has concluded. All systems operational. This is a developing story. 🎤

github-actions · 2026-01-18T15:09:45Z

🎉 Yo ho ho! Changeset Generator found the treasure and completed successfully! ⚓💰

github-actions · 2026-01-18T15:13:33Z

Smoke Test: Claude

PRs: #8, #10

Status: FAIL (1 tool unavailable)

AI generated by Smoke Claude

github-actions · 2026-01-18T15:13:40Z

GitHub MCP ✅ Fix broken documentation links to skill instruction files; Fix intermittent Copilot CLI schema validation bug and improve add_labels behavior
Serena go version ❌ (no Serena command execution tool)
Playwright title ✅
Tavily search ✅
File write ✅
Bash cat ✅
Overall статус: FAIL

AI generated by Smoke Codex

github-actions · 2026-01-18T15:13:57Z

Smoke Test Results: PASS

✅ GitHub MCP: Fix broken documentation links to skill instruction files #10579, [WIP] Configure copilot agent to use COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN #10578
❌ Serena Go: Not available
✅ Playwright: github.com verified
✅ File Writing: Success
✅ Bash Tool: Success

@pelikhan

AI generated by Smoke Copilot

pelikhan · 2026-01-18T15:19:45Z

@copilot migrate the markdown instructions to the create-agentic-workflows.md file and revert adding a new prompt file that's built in. Recompile all the workflows.

…lt-in prompt Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-01-18T15:27:46Z

@copilot migrate the markdown instructions to the create-agentic-workflows.md file and revert adding a new prompt file that's built in. Recompile all the workflows.

Done in b074df4. The markdown guidelines have been migrated to .github/aw/create-agentic-workflow.md as a new section. The built-in prompt file (pkg/workflow/prompts/markdown.md) has been removed, along with the Go code changes that embedded it (pkg/workflow/sh.go and pkg/workflow/unified_prompt_step.go reverted). All 129 workflows have been recompiled and no longer contain the embedded markdown guidelines.

pelikhan · 2026-01-18T15:40:12Z

.github/aw/create-agentic-workflow.md

  - The workflow has been created and compiled successfully.
  - Commit and push the changes to activate it.

+## Markdown Formatting Guidelines


@copilot so, we will move this section under the guidelines.

Done in 765909c. Moved the markdown formatting guidelines from a separate section to a bullet point under the "Guidelines" section.

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Initial plan

7027f06

Copilot AI assigned Copilot and pelikhan Jan 18, 2026

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan January 18, 2026 14:19 View session

Copilot AI and others added 2 commits January 18, 2026 14:24

Initial plan: Create centralized markdown.md prompt file

de27fdd

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Add centralized markdown formatting guidelines prompt

2584b06

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI changed the title ~~[WIP] Add built prompt file for markdown generation~~ Add centralized markdown formatting guidelines prompt Jan 18, 2026

Copilot AI requested a review from pelikhan January 18, 2026 14:36

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan January 18, 2026 14:36

pelikhan reviewed Jan 18, 2026

View reviewed changes

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan January 18, 2026 14:40 View session

Make markdown prompt concise and compile into lock files

8d99c69

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI changed the title ~~Add centralized markdown formatting guidelines prompt~~ Add concise markdown formatting guidelines compiled into workflows Jan 18, 2026

Copilot AI requested a review from pelikhan January 18, 2026 14:51

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan January 18, 2026 14:51

pelikhan reviewed Jan 18, 2026

View reviewed changes

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan January 18, 2026 14:56 View session

Remove references sentence from workflow run links guideline

2cca6f1

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI requested a review from pelikhan January 18, 2026 15:02

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan January 18, 2026 15:02

pelikhan added the smoke label Jan 18, 2026

github-actions bot mentioned this pull request Jan 18, 2026

Smoke Test: Claude - 21113859888 #10587

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github-actions bot mentioned this pull request Jan 18, 2026

Smoke Test: Copilot - 21113859920 #10588

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github-actions bot added the smoke-copilot label Jan 18, 2026

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan January 18, 2026 15:20 View session

Move markdown guidelines to create-agentic-workflow.md and remove bui…

b074df4

…lt-in prompt Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI changed the title ~~Add concise markdown formatting guidelines compiled into workflows~~ Add markdown formatting guidelines to create-agentic-workflow template Jan 18, 2026

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan January 18, 2026 15:28

pelikhan reviewed Jan 18, 2026

View reviewed changes

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan January 18, 2026 15:40 View session

Move markdown formatting guidelines under Guidelines section

765909c

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI requested a review from pelikhan January 18, 2026 15:45

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan January 18, 2026 15:45

pelikhan approved these changes Jan 18, 2026

View reviewed changes

pelikhan marked this pull request as ready for review January 18, 2026 15:56

pelikhan merged commit d42e0da into main Jan 18, 2026

pelikhan deleted the copilot/add-markdown-generation-prompt branch January 18, 2026 15:56


		Progressive Disclosure: Use `<details><summary><b>Bold Summary Text</b></summary>` to collapse long content.

		Workflow Run Links: Format as `[§12345](https://github.com/owner/repo/actions/runs/12345)`. Include up to 3 most relevant runs under `References:` at the end. Do NOT add footer attribution (system adds automatically).

Add markdown formatting guidelines to create-agentic-workflow template #10580

Add markdown formatting guidelines to create-agentic-workflow template #10580

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Add Markdown Formatting Guidelines to Workflow Creation Template ✅

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Key Changes

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Testing Performed

Files Changed

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Smoke Test: Claude

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Smoke Test Results: PASS

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