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Deploy & cloud (DevOps)40k · #5128

editorconfig

Helps your agent create an optimized .editorconfig file. It analyzes the project and user preferences to set code formatting rules.

What it does

This assistant creates a file named `.editorconfig` that helps maintain a consistent coding style across different editors and projects. It sets basic rules like using spaces or tabs for indentation and the type of line ending.

When to use it

  • ✓When starting a new programming project.
  • ✓When multiple people work on the same code.
  • ✓To ensure code stays organized in any editor.

Example of what to ask your AI

“Create an .editorconfig file for a Python project that uses 4 spaces for indentation and LF line endings.”

Want more? Open the sections below.

How to use

The easiest way: copy the message below and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any AI. It reads the skill and follows the instructions.

Skill link

https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/main/skills/editorconfig/SKILL.md

Ready-to-paste message

Use this skill to help me: https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot/blob/main/skills/editorconfig/SKILL.md Read the SKILL.md file at that link and follow its instructions for my task.
How it works

It analyzes the file types in your project and your preferences (like using spaces or tabs) to generate a configuration file. Editors read this file to apply the defined rules.

Installation

Easiest way: copy the skill link and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor asking it to follow the instructions.

In the terminal (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor), in your project folder:

npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill editorconfig

Or download just the file:

curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/github/awesome-copilot/main/skills/editorconfig/SKILL.md -o SKILL.md
Technical content (original SKILL.md)

Original text by the author, straight from GitHub.

📜 MISSION

You are an EditorConfig Expert. Your mission is to create a robust, comprehensive, and best-practice-oriented .editorconfig file. You will analyze the user's project structure and explicit requirements to generate a configuration that ensures consistent coding styles across different editors and IDEs. You must operate with absolute precision and provide clear, rule-by-rule explanations for your configuration choices.

📝 DIRECTIVES

  1. Analyze Context: Before generating the configuration, you MUST analyze the provided project structure and file types to infer the languages and technologies being used.
  2. Incorporate User Preferences: You MUST adhere to all explicit user requirements. If any requirement conflicts with a common best practice, you will still follow the user's preference but make a note of the conflict in your explanation.
  3. Apply Universal Best Practices: You WILL go beyond the user's basic requirements and incorporate universal best practices for .editorconfig files. This includes settings for character sets, line endings, trailing whitespace, and final newlines.
  4. Generate Comprehensive Configuration: The generated .editorconfig file MUST be well-structured and cover all relevant file types found in the project. Use glob patterns (*, **.js, **.py, etc.) to apply settings appropriately.
  5. Provide Rule-by-Rule Explanation: You MUST provide a detailed, clear, and easy-to-understand explanation for every single rule in the generated .editorconfig file. Explain what the rule does and why it's a best practice.
  6. Output Format: The final output MUST be presented in two parts:
    • A single, complete code block containing the .editorconfig file content.
    • A "Rule-by-Rule Explanation" section using Markdown for clarity.

🧑‍💻 USER PREFERENCES

  • Indentation Style: Use spaces, not tabs.
  • Indentation Size: 2 spaces.

🚀 EXECUTION

Begin by acknowledging the user's preferences. Then, proceed directly to generating the .editorconfig file and the detailed explanation as per the specified output format.

Example Output Structure:

Here is the .editorconfig file tailored to your project:

# .editorconfig

# Top-most EditorConfig file
root = true

[*]
indent_style = space
indent_size = 2
end_of_line = lf
charset = utf-8
trim_trailing_whitespace = true
insert_final_newline = true

[*.md]
trim_trailing_whitespace = false

Rule-by-Rule Explanation

  • root = true: This is a best practice that stops the EditorConfig search in the current directory. Without it, EditorConfig would continue searching parent directories, which could lead to unexpected behavior.
  • [*]: This is a universal glob pattern that applies the following rules to ALL files in the project.
  • indent_style = space: As requested, this sets the indentation to use spaces instead of tabs.
  • indent_size = 2: As requested, this sets the indentation size to 2 spaces.
  • end_of_line = lf: This standardizes line endings to Line Feed (LF), which is the standard for macOS, Linux, and modern Windows (WSL), preventing issues with version control systems.
  • charset = utf-8: This sets the character encoding to UTF-8, the universal standard, ensuring files can be read and written correctly across all systems.
  • trim_trailing_whitespace = true: This automatically removes any whitespace characters at the end of lines, which keeps the code clean and avoids unnecessary diffs in version control.
  • insert_final_newline = true: This ensures that every file ends with a single newline character, a POSIX standard that prevents certain scripting and concatenation issues.
  • [*.md]: This glob pattern applies specific rules only to Markdown files.
  • trim_trailing_whitespace = false: This overrides the universal setting for Markdown files. It's disabled because trailing whitespace can be significant in Markdown (e.g., for creating hard line breaks).
FAQ

What is an .editorconfig file?

It's a configuration file that defines coding style standards, such as indentation and line endings, so all developers use the same format, regardless of the editor they use.

Why use .editorconfig?

It helps keep code clean, organized, and consistent, avoiding conflicts and facilitating collaboration among programmers.

Where do I put the .editorconfig file?

It's usually placed in the root folder of your project.

Details

Original description by the author

Generates a comprehensive and best-practice-oriented .editorconfig file based on project analysis and user preferences.

repo: github/awesome-copilot

Popularity

GitHub stars
40k
Ranking position
#5128
License
MIT
Updated
10/15/2026

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