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Creating Your First Space: Repos, Docs, Files
Build a Space from scratch — adding repos, markdown, PDFs, files.
What You Will Learn
- Create a Space.
- Add repos, docs, files.
- Order sources for context.
- Verify Space scope.
- Test with a question.
Why This Matters
Building a Space from scratch teaches the curation skill. The first Space is usually over-packed; iteration teaches what to include and what to leave out.
Concept Explained
A Space is built by adding sources: repos (entire repos or specific paths), markdown docs, PDFs, files. Copilot indexes all sources and uses them as context for chats in the Space.
How It Works
Go to github.com/copilot/spaces. Click 'New Space'. Name it. Add sources: paste a repo URL, upload markdown/PDF, add files. Save. Open the Space and chat.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
1. Plan the Space
What's the purpose? Onboarding? Support? Multi-repo analysis? Sources should serve the purpose.2. Create Space
github.com/copilot/spaces → New Space. Name and describe.3. Add repos
Add the most relevant repos. Start with 1–3; add more only if needed.4. Add docs
Upload markdown or PDF docs that provide context (architecture, API specs, runbooks).5. Add files
Add specific files (config samples, schemas) for precision.6. Test
Ask a question that should be answerable from the Space. Verify the answer.Real-World Example
A team built an onboarding Space with: their main service repo, an architecture.md, an API spec (OpenAPI), and a runbook. New hires opened the Space and asked 'how does authentication work?' — got a grounded answer citing the architecture doc and the actual code. Saved hours of verbal onboarding.
Example Prompts / Commands / Code
Space Name: Backend Service Onboarding
Purpose: Help new hires understand the backend service architecture, API, and ops.
Sources:
1. Repo: github.com/team/backend-service (main repo)
2. Doc: docs/architecture.md (architecture overview)
3. Doc: docs/api-spec.yaml (OpenAPI spec)
4. Doc: docs/runbook.md (ops runbook)
5. File: config/production.env.example (config sample)
Test question: 'How does authentication work in the backend service?'
Expected: Grounded answer citing architecture.md and auth code in the repo.
Common Mistakes
- Adding too many sources — dilutes signal, slows indexing.
- No clear purpose — Space becomes a junk drawer.
- Adding entire repos when specific paths would suffice.
- Not testing after creation.
Best Practices
- Define the purpose before adding sources.
- Start with 1–3 repos; add more only if needed.
- Add docs that provide context (architecture, specs, runbooks).
- Use specific file paths over entire repos when possible.
- Test after creation with a representative question.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | How to Fix |
|---|---|
| Space is slow | Reduce sources. Or split into multiple Spaces by topic. |
| Answers are generic | Add more specific sources. Or refine the question. |
Practical Exercise
Your Turn
Create a Space for a real project. Add 1 repo, 2 docs, 1 file. Test with a question. Iterate based on the answer quality.
Professional Challenge
Build 3 Spaces for different purposes: onboarding, support, multi-repo analysis. Compare how each is used.
Key Takeaways
- Plan purpose before adding sources.
- Start with 1–3 repos.
- Add docs for context.
- Use specific paths over entire repos.
- Test after creation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a Space after creation?
What's the max sources per Space?
Further Reading
Official References
SEO Metadata
SEO title: Creating Your First Space: Repos, Docs, Files
Meta description: Build a Space from scratch — adding repos, markdown, PDFs, files.
Primary keyword: creating your first space
Secondary keywords: creating your first space: repos, docs, files
Search intent: Informational
URL slug: /creating-first-copilot-space-repos-docs-files
Categories: AI Tools, GitHub Copilot
Tags: GitHub Copilot, Intermediate, Spaces, Tutorial, Copilot Spaces, IMCSEIAN, Tutorial, IMCSEIAN
Featured image concept: IMCSEIAN lesson card for Creating Your First Space: Repos, Docs, Files
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