Best practices for working in Agent Library in Copilot Agent Kit

This article describes best practices for working with templates and components from Agent Library in Copilot Agent Kit.

Get the most from templates

• Start with a template, and then customize it. Templates give you a working baseline. Customize instructions, topics, and knowledge sources to match your organization's needs rather than building from scratch.
• Review all preconfigured topics. Before publishing, walk through each topic to understand the conversation flow and make adjustments.
• Test with realistic scenarios. Use real-world prompts when testing to make sure the agent handles your users' actual language and intent.

Work with components

• Install only what you need. Each component is packaged independently. Adding unnecessary components increases complexity without adding value.
• Use managed solutions. Import the managed solution unless you specifically need to edit component internals. Managed solutions prevent accidental modifications to shared components.
• Use agent instructions to control components. Your agent's Instructions field is the primary way to control component behavior without editing the component itself. Define when, how, and in what order components should be used.

Manage connections

• Set up connections before publishing. Missing or expired connections are the most common cause of runtime failures.
• Use service accounts for shared agents. When an agent is used by multiple people, configure connections with a service account rather than personal credentials.
• Monitor connection health. Periodically check Agent Library for connection reference warnings and refresh as needed.

Environment considerations

• One instance per environment. Components are shared across all agents in an environment. Changes to a component affect every agent that uses it.
• Test in a development environment first. Install and validate templates in a nonproduction environment before promoting to production.
• Keep solutions up to date. Check for new templates, components, and improvements in each Copilot Agent Kit release.

Custom template management

• Start with the Inactive status. Author and refine templates as drafts before publishing to makers. This approach prevents incomplete templates from appearing in the maker gallery.
• Use descriptive icons and accents. A well-themed template card helps makers quickly identify the right agent. Choose icons and accent colors that visually communicate the template's purpose.
• Provide learn-more and setup-guide URLs. Link to documentation or setup guides to help makers understand the template before installing.
• Delete with caution. Deleting a custom template is permanent with no undo. Previously installed agents aren't affected, but the template can no longer be discovered or reinstalled from the library.
• Keep solution ZIPs up to date. When you update an agent solution, edit the custom template and replace the attached ZIP so makers always install the latest version.