Alex Cognitive Architecture
Your cognitive learning partner for VS Code. Alex installs a living brain of skills, instructions, and prompts that makes GitHub Copilot dramatically smarter in any project.
What Alex Does
Alex enhances GitHub Copilot with a cognitive architecture — a structured collection of domain knowledge, behavior rules, and reusable workflows that load automatically based on what you're working on.
| What You Get |
How It Works |
| 195 Skills |
Domain knowledge for security, API design, testing, debugging, and more |
| 160 Instructions |
Behavior rules that auto-load based on file patterns |
| 38 Prompts |
Reusable workflow templates for common tasks |
| 22 Agents |
Specialized personas: Builder, Researcher, Validator, Documentarian, and more |
Features
Brain Bootstrap
One-click install deploys the full cognitive architecture into any workspace. Skills, instructions, and prompts are copied to .github/ where VS Code and Copilot load them automatically.
The Alex sidebar gives you quick access to:
- Loop Tab — Creative workflow integration (Ideate → Plan → Build → Test → Release → Improve)
- Autopilot Tab — Scheduled tasks, recurring maintenance, and automation
- Setup Tab — Configure Alex for your project
Specialized Agents
Switch between focused agents depending on your task:
| Agent |
Best For |
| Alex |
General conversations and broad questions |
| Builder |
Writing code and implementing features |
| Researcher |
Learning new topics and deep investigations |
| Validator |
Code review, testing, and quality audits |
| Documentarian |
READMEs, wikis, and documentation |
| Planner |
Architecture decisions and roadmapping |
| Presenter |
Demos, presentations, and stakeholder docs |
Health Maintenance
Keep the brain healthy with built-in maintenance rituals:
- Dream — Validate and repair the architecture (weekly)
- Meditate — Consolidate recent learning (after major sessions)
- Self-Actualize — Deep architecture assessment (monthly)
Autopilot
Schedule recurring brain maintenance tasks that run automatically:
- Task Cards — Visual dashboard of scheduled and one-time tasks
- Enable/Disable Toggles — Control which tasks run automatically
- Interval Configuration — Set frequency per task
- Workflow Generator — Create custom scheduled workflows from project analysis
Settings Optimization
Auto-configure VS Code settings for the best AI experience with a single command.
Getting Started
- Install the extension from the Marketplace
- Click the Alex icon in the Activity Bar
- Install Brain — click the button in the sidebar to deploy the cognitive architecture
- Chat — open Copilot Chat (
Ctrl+Shift+I) and start collaborating
Alex's brain files enhance every Copilot conversation automatically. No @alex prefix needed — the skills and instructions load based on what files you have open.
Commands
| Command |
Description |
Alex: Install / Update Brain |
Deploy or update the cognitive architecture in your workspace |
Alex: Dream |
Run a dream cycle to validate architecture health |
Alex: Show Status |
View brain health, version, and skill inventory |
Alex: Optimize Settings |
Auto-configure VS Code for optimal AI collaboration |
Alex: Open Documentation |
Open the wiki in your browser |
Requirements
- VS Code 1.100 or later
- GitHub Copilot subscription (Alex uses Copilot's language models)
Extension Pack
This extension recommends installing these companions:
| Extension |
Purpose |
| GitHub Copilot Chat |
Required — Alex enhances Copilot's responses |
| PowerShell |
Automation script support |
| YAML |
Frontmatter editing in skills and instructions |
| Markdown Mermaid |
Diagram rendering in documentation |
| markdownlint |
Clean markdown in brain files |
Configuration
| Setting |
Default |
Description |
alex.workspace.protectedMode |
false |
Prevents brain operations that modify workspace files |
How It Works
Alex's cognitive architecture is a set of files in .github/ that VS Code and GitHub Copilot read automatically:
your-project/
└── .github/
├── copilot-instructions.md # Core identity and routing
├── instructions/ # Auto-loaded behavior rules
├── skills/ # On-demand domain knowledge
├── prompts/ # Reusable workflow templates
├── agents/ # Specialized agent definitions
├── muscles/ # Automation scripts
└── config/ # Configuration
- Instructions load automatically when you open files matching their
applyTo patterns
- Skills are loaded on demand when Copilot detects relevant context
- Prompts are available as reusable templates in Copilot Chat
- Agents provide specialized personas you can switch between
Documentation
Privacy
Alex stores all data locally in your workspace. No data is sent to external servers beyond what GitHub Copilot normally processes. See our Privacy Policy.
Known Issues
- Brain files require a workspace folder — Alex cannot operate in untitled/unsaved contexts
- Some skills reference domain-specific tools that may not be installed in your environment
Release Notes
See the full Changelog.
Contributing
Contributions are welcome! See CONTRIBUTING.md for build instructions and guidelines.
License
PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0
