Markdown as the New Programming Language: Supercharging GitHub Copilot CLI

Microsoft AI Dev Days Talk Outline Duration: 15-20 minutes + demos

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The Hook (1 minute)

"What if I told you the most powerful programming language of 2025 isn't TypeScript, Python, or Rust—it's Markdown?"

Opening Statement:

• Software has fundamentally shifted from code that does things to instructions that orchestrate AI
• The skill that matters now: not learning tools, but creating instructions
• GitHub Copilot CLI is the bridge—and we're about to supercharge it

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Section 1: The Shift in Software Development (3 minutes)

Key Points:

1. The Old Model: Developers write code → Tools execute code
2. The New Model: Developers write instructions → AI interprets → Tools orchestrate
3. Why This Matters for Microsoft Developers:
   • Azure DevOps pipelines are already YAML (instructions!)
   • GitHub Actions are already declarative
   • Copilot is already reading your comments and docs
   • You're already halfway there

The Insight:

"Every README you've ever written was training you for this moment."

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Section 2: GitHub Copilot CLI—The Unsung Hero (4 minutes)

Key Points:

1. Non-Interactive Mode is the Game Changer

   gh copilot suggest -t shell "find all TypeScript files modified today" --no-interactive

   • No prompts, no confirmations—pure automation
   • Perfect for CI/CD pipelines
   • Enterprise-grade: audit trails, policy compliance

2. Three Modes, Three Superpowers:

   • suggest -t shell — Shell commands
   • suggest -t gh — GitHub CLI operations
   • suggest -t git — Git operations

3. Enterprise-Friendly by Design:

   • Runs through your existing GitHub auth
   • Respects organization policies
   • No external API keys needed
   • Audit logs for compliance

Demo Idea #1: "The One-Liner"

# Old way: Google → StackOverflow → copy → paste → debug
# New way:
gh copilot suggest -t shell "recursively find all TODO comments in .cs files" --no-interactive | sh

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Section 3: Enter markdown-agent—Instructions as Files (5 minutes)

The Problem:

• Copilot CLI is powerful but ephemeral
• Prompts disappear after execution
• No version control, no sharing, no iteration

The Solution: ma (markdown-agent)

• Markdown files ARE your agents
• YAML frontmatter = configuration
• Body = instructions
• Filename = command (task.copilot.md → runs copilot)

Demo Idea #2: "Your First Agent File"

<!-- review.copilot.md -->
---
command: gh copilot suggest
type: shell
---

Analyze the git diff for the current branch and suggest:
1. Potential bugs
2. Missing test cases
3. Documentation gaps

Focus on: {{ focus | default: "security" }}

Run it:

ma review.copilot.md --focus performance

Key Points:

1. Version Control Your Prompts — Treat instructions like code
2. Share with Your Team — PR your agent files
3. Template Variables — LiquidJS powers dynamic prompts
4. Import System — @./src/**/*.cs pulls in context

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Section 4: The Escalation Pattern (4 minutes)

The Concept: Intelligent Scripts That Know When They Need Help

Tier 1: Copilot CLI (fast, cheap, scoped)

• Quick suggestions
• Shell command generation
• Git operations

Tier 2: Codex/GPT-4 (more context, deeper analysis)

• Multi-file refactoring
• Architecture decisions
• Complex debugging

Tier 3: Claude/Opus (maximum reasoning)

• System design
• Security audits
• Production incident analysis

Demo Idea #3: "The Escalating Pipeline"

<!-- analyze.copilot.md -->
---
command: gh copilot suggest
type: shell
---

Analyze this error log and suggest a fix:
@./logs/error.log

If the issue involves multiple services, output: ESCALATE

# The intelligent script
result=$(ma analyze.copilot.md)
if [[ "$result" == *"ESCALATE"* ]]; then
  ma deep-analyze.claude.md  # Escalate to more powerful agent
fi

Why This Matters for Enterprise:

• Cost Control — Use the cheapest capable model
• Speed — Fast answers stay fast
• Compliance — Copilot stays in your GitHub ecosystem
• Flexibility — Escalate when needed

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Section 5: Real-World Microsoft Developer Scenarios (3 minutes)

Scenario 1: PR Review Pipeline

<!-- pr-review.copilot.md -->
---
command: gh copilot suggest
type: gh
---

Review PR #{{ pr_number }} for:
- Breaking changes to public APIs
- Missing XML documentation
- Azure resource configuration issues

Scenario 2: Azure Deployment Assistant

<!-- deploy-check.copilot.md -->
---
command: gh copilot suggest
type: shell
---

Before deploying to {{ environment | default: "staging" }}:
1. Check if all required Azure resources exist
2. Validate ARM template syntax
3. List any secrets that will be rotated

@./infrastructure/main.bicep

Scenario 3: .NET Migration Helper

<!-- migrate-check.copilot.md -->
---
command: gh copilot suggest
type: shell
---

Analyze this .NET Framework project and identify:
1. NuGet packages that need updating for .NET 8
2. API calls that have changed
3. Configuration patterns that need migration

@./src/**/*.csproj
@./src/**/*.config

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Section 6: The Bigger Picture (2 minutes)

Key Takeaways:

1. Markdown is Infrastructure

   • Your prompts are now deployable artifacts
   • Version them, test them, ship them

2. Copilot CLI is Your Fast Path

   • Non-interactive mode unlocks automation
   • Enterprise-ready out of the box
   • Escalation keeps you flexible

3. The New Developer Skill

   • Writing code → Writing instructions
   • Using tools → Orchestrating agents
   • Solo work → Human-AI collaboration

The Call to Action:

"Start with one markdown file. One agent. One workflow you automate this week."

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Closing (1 minute)

The Memorable Line:

"In 2020, we said 'every company is a software company.' In 2025, every software developer is an instruction architect. And the best architecture starts with a simple .md file."

Resources:

• markdown-agent: npm install -g markdown-agent
• GitHub Copilot CLI: gh extension install github/gh-copilot
• Today's demos: [gist link]

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Bonus Demo Ideas (if time permits)

"The Context-Aware Agent"

<!-- smart-fix.copilot.md -->
---
command: gh copilot suggest
type: shell
inputs:
  - name: issue
    prompt: "Paste the error message:"
---

Given this error:
{{ issue }}

And the recent changes:
!`git diff HEAD~3`

Suggest a targeted fix.

"The Team Knowledge Base"

# Every developer gets the same quality prompts
git clone [email protected]:myorg/team-agents.git ~/.agents
ma ~/.agents/code-review.copilot.md
ma ~/.agents/security-scan.copilot.md
ma ~/.agents/perf-check.copilot.md

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Talk Flow Summary

Time	Section	Energy
0:00-1:00	Hook	High
1:00-4:00	The Shift	Building
4:00-8:00	Copilot CLI Deep Dive + Demo	High
8:00-13:00	markdown-agent + Demos	High
13:00-17:00	Escalation + Scenarios	Practical
17:00-19:00	Bigger Picture	Inspiring
19:00-20:00	Closing	Memorable

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Talk outline created for Microsoft AI Dev Days Theme: Software is now instructions + tools