Add agents.md guide for using Copilot to fix CI issues

[Copilot]

Developers frequently encounter CI failures (MyPy, Pylint, Sphinx, tests) in PRs and need guidance on leveraging GitHub Copilot to resolve them efficiently.

Changes

New Documentation: doc/dev/agents.md

Comprehensive guide (448 lines) covering:

• Per-check troubleshooting: MyPy, Pylint, Sphinx, Black, Pyright, tests, dependencies, changelog

  • Example Copilot prompts for each failure type
  • Local reproduction commands
  • Common fix patterns Copilot can handle

• Copilot Agent Mode workflow: Using VSCode Insiders with repository prompts (.github/prompts/next-pylint.prompt.md, etc.)

• Best practices: Context provision, verification patterns, iteration strategies

• Troubleshooting: Environment setup (PowerShell/MCP), Agent Mode access, fixing persistent failures

• Quick reference table: All CI checks with local commands and doc links

Updated Documentation

• doc/dev/README.md: Added agents.md to developer docs index
• doc/README.md: Added "Quick Links for Common Tasks" section highlighting agents.md

The guide enables developers to systematically address CI failures using Copilot rather than trial-and-error or waiting for maintainer guidance.

Warning

Firewall rules blocked me from connecting to one or more addresses (expand for details)

I tried to connect to the following addresses, but was blocked by firewall rules:

• scanning-api.github.com
  • Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node --enable-source-maps /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/copilot-developer-action-main/dist/index.js (dns block)

If you need me to access, download, or install something from one of these locations, you can either:

• Configure Actions setup steps to set up my environment, which run before the firewall is enabled
• Add the appropriate URLs or hosts to the custom allowlist in this repository's Copilot coding agent settings (admins only)

Original prompt

can we make an agents.md that would guide a user on how to use copilot to fix all the potential ci issues they could run into on a pr

---

💡 You can make Copilot smarter by setting up custom instructions, customizing its development environment and configuring Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. Learn more Copilot coding agent tips in the docs.