Next-Level SQL in VS Code: GitHub Copilot Custom Instructions, Plan Mode & Skills | Data Exposed

A walkthrough of GitHub Copilot features in VS Code for SQL database development using the MSSQL extension. Covers three key techniques: custom instructions (to enforce team coding standards like camelCase, bigint PKs, and fully qualified schema names), plan mode combined with a PRD document to generate a data model recommendation, and the schema designer integration that lets Copilot propose and apply table/relationship changes with user approval. Also briefly demonstrates custom skills for domain-specific tasks like vector data types. The core takeaway is that context — via custom instructions, PRDs, and skills — is what transforms generic Copilot output into team-standard SQL code.