context-map

Use it when:: You're about to change a codebase and want to see everything the task touches before any edit.
It does:: Searches for related files, follows their imports and exports, and finds affected tests and similar code to follow.
You get:: A Markdown context map: tables of files to modify, dependencies, tests and reference patterns, plus a risk checklist.
Then:: Stops: implementation waits until you've reviewed the map.
Unlike refactor-plan:: That one, from the same repo, plans the phased steps of a refactor; this one only lists what's involved.

TL;DR

A short pre-implementation step. Given your task, the agent searches the codebase for related files, identifies their direct dependencies through imports and exports, finds the tests that cover the affected code and looks for similar patterns already in the code. It reports all of this as a context map: the files to modify with their purpose and the changes needed, dependent files that may need updates, test files and what they cover, reference files whose patterns to follow, and a risk checklist for breaking public API changes, database migrations and configuration changes. The skill ends by telling the agent not to implement anything until the map has been reviewed.

Summarizes the skill at 797337f.

npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill context-map

skills.sh page Source on GitHub All skills from github/awesome-copilot

Total Downloads: 9,700 on skills.sh, Nov 9, 2026
Repo stars: 40,943 github/awesome-copilot
First seen: Feb 25, 2026 on skills.sh

Weekly Downloads

-61% over the 8 weeks to Nov 9

Weekly values

Week to	Installs
Sep 21	23
Sep 28	19
Oct 5	20
Oct 12	10
Oct 19	13
Oct 26	6
Nov 2	9
Nov 9	9

Category	category:planning category:software-engineering Make the agent question you and write the plan down before it writes code. Everything for building software: planning, coding, debugging, design, frameworks, cloud, agents and skills.
Type	type:workflow A multi-step process the agent follows: interview, debug, run a TDD loop, review.
Effect	effect:none Adds no side effects of its own. It shapes how the agent thinks, writes or reviews. Guidelines and routers are always effect:none, even when the task they support edits code.
Needs	needs:none Instructions only. Works in any agent that supports skills.
Publisher	by:official A verified publisher on skills.sh, or the company or maintainer behind the product the skill operates.
Topics	planning implementation

SKILL.md

From github/awesome-copilot at 797337f. Checked daily, last changed Nov 6, 2026.

Frontmatter

name: context-map
description: 'Generate a map of all files relevant to a task before making changes'

Context Map

Before implementing any changes, analyze the codebase and create a context map.

Task

Instructions

Search the codebase for files related to this task
Identify direct dependencies (imports/exports)
Find related tests
Look for similar patterns in existing code

Output Format

## Context Map

### Files to Modify
| File | Purpose | Changes Needed |
|------|---------|----------------|
| path/to/file | description | what changes |

### Dependencies (may need updates)
| File | Relationship |
|------|--------------|
| path/to/dep | imports X from modified file |

### Test Files
| Test | Coverage |
|------|----------|
| path/to/test | tests affected functionality |

### Reference Patterns
| File | Pattern |
|------|---------|
| path/to/similar | example to follow |

### Risk Assessment
- [ ] Breaking changes to public API
- [ ] Database migrations needed
- [ ] Configuration changes required

Do not proceed with implementation until this map is reviewed.