Minimal setup instructions for GitHub copilot coding agent. Place in .github/workflows/copilot-setup-steps.yml per documentation at https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/use-copilot-agents/coding-agent/customize-the-agent-environment

copilot-setup-steps.yml

name: "Copilot Setup Steps"
on:
  workflow_dispatch:
  push:
    paths: [.github/workflows/copilot-setup-steps.yml]
  pull_request:
    paths: [.github/workflows/copilot-setup-steps.yml]

jobs:
  copilot-setup-steps:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    permissions:
      contents: read
    env:
      PIP_TIMEOUT: 600
      PIP_RETRIES: 2
    steps:
      - name: Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v5
      - name: Set up Python
        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
        with:
          python-version: "3.12"
          cache: "pip"
      - name: Install package and dev dependencies
        run: |
          pip install -r requirements.txt

uv alternative that I might integrate, or I might create a new, dedicated gist.

(after checkout step)

      - name: Install uv
        uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@v7

      - name: Set up Python
        run: uv python install 3.12

      - name: Create virtual environment
        run: uv venv # NOTE: we don't need to explicitly activate the environment

      - name: Install deps
        run: uv pip install -e .

example at https://github.com/sgbaird/linear-bo/blob/main/.github/workflows/copilot-setup-steps.yml