Token Optimization Demos

Companion repository for the YouTube video: "The 5 Rules of Token Optimization Every Developer MUST Know (GitHub Copilot)"

📺 Watch the video: [YouTube Link]

What's In This Repo

This repo is a sample TypeScript/Node.js project specifically structured to demonstrate token optimization techniques for GitHub Copilot. Use it to follow along with the video or as a template for your own projects.

Demo Files

File	Used In	Purpose
.github/copilot-instructions.md	Rule 1 & 2	The optimized (lean) instructions file
.github/copilot-instructions-bloated.md	Rule 1	The "before" bloated version for comparison
.github/prompts/api-design.prompt.md	Rule 2	On-demand API design prompt file
.github/prompts/testing.prompt.md	Rule 2	On-demand testing prompt file
.github/prompts/deploy-checklist.prompt.md	Rule 2	On-demand deploy prompt file
.github/copilot-setup-steps.yml	Rule 5	Coding agent setup file
src/services/userService.ts	Rule 4	Contains filterActiveUsersByLastLogin
src/models/user.ts	Rule 4	User type definition
docs/content-exclusion-patterns.md	Rule 5	Starter list of exclusion patterns
docs/caveman-instructions-examples.md	Rule 4	Before/after instruction compression examples

Project Structure

.github/
├── copilot-instructions.md          ← Optimized (lean) - ALWAYS LOADED
├── copilot-instructions-bloated.md  ← "Before" version for demo comparison
├── copilot-setup-steps.yml          ← Coding agent setup
└── prompts/
    ├── api-design.prompt.md         ← On-demand: API guidelines
    ├── testing.prompt.md            ← On-demand: Testing standards
    └── deploy-checklist.prompt.md   ← On-demand: Deploy process
src/
├── models/
│   └── user.ts                      ← User interface
├── services/
│   └── userService.ts               ← filterActiveUsersByLastLogin demo
├── utils/
│   └── helpers.ts                   ← Utility functions
└── __tests__/
    └── userService.test.ts          ← Co-located test example
docs/
├── content-exclusion-patterns.md    ← Copy-paste exclusion patterns
└── caveman-instructions-examples.md ← Before/after compression guide

How To Use

1. Clone this repo and open in VS Code
2. Follow along with the video — each Rule section references specific files
3. Copy what you need — the instruction files, prompt files, and patterns are designed to be adapted for your projects

The 5 Rules

1. Treat Context Like a Budget — Every token costs. Be intentional.
2. Load On-Demand, Not Always-On — Keep instructions lean, details in prompt files.
3. Right-Size Your Model — Lightweight models for simple, premium for complex.
4. Be Precise, Not Polite — Caveman style. No filler. Slash commands.
5. Clean Your Context — /clear between tasks. Close tabs. Exclude noise.

License

MIT — use these patterns in your own projects!