Add a referral program with GitHub Copilot

Give GitHub Copilot the RefRef rules

The rules tell the agent where each part of a referral integration belongs: the landing script in the browser, one signup call where your backend creates the account, and the API key only on the server. Save it as .github/instructions/refref.instructions.md. Or add the text without the frontmatter to .github/copilot-instructions.md.

Copilot adds .github/copilot-instructions.md to every chat request in the repository, and a file in .github/instructions when its applyTo glob matches the files in context. The RefRef file uses applyTo: "**", so it applies everywhere. The Copilot coding agent on GitHub reads the same files.

---
applyTo: "**"
---

# RefRef referral tracking

This app uses RefRef (https://refref.ai) for its referral program. Follow these rules when you add or change referral code.

## Configuration

- Server-only secrets: `REFREF_API_KEY` (a Workspace API key), `REFREF_PROJECT_ID`, and `REFREF_PROGRAM_ID`.
- `REFREF_API_URL` defaults to `https://api.refref.ai`, and `REFREF_ASSETS_URL` to `https://assets.refref.ai`. Read both from configuration, so that a Sandbox or local environment can change them.
- Never put `REFREF_API_KEY` in browser code, in a public variable (`NEXT_PUBLIC_*`, `VITE_*`), in a prompt, in a log, or in a commit.
- Every RefRef call is a backend `POST` with a JSON body that contains `projectId`, and the header `X-Api-Key`. The current schemas are at `GET $REFREF_API_URL/openapi`.

Or fetch it from the command line: curl -fsSL --create-dirs https://refref.ai/agents/github-copilot/rules.md -o .github/instructions/refref.instructions.md

Connect GitHub Copilot to RefRef MCP

Optional. With the MCP server, GitHub Copilot can read your Workspaces, Projects, and Programs, and prepare configuration changes for you to approve in the Console. It never sends signups: that is the app code from the rules. See the MCP reference for scopes and approvals.

Configuration: .vscode/mcp.json (workspace) or your VS Code user profile

{
  "servers": {
    "refref": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.refref.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Or with the CLI

code --add-mcp '{"name":"refref","type":"http","url":"https://mcp.refref.ai/mcp"}'

Sign in

Start the server from the Start action in mcp.json or with MCP: List Servers. VS Code opens the browser; sign in with your RefRef Console account. Manage access later under Accounts → Manage Trusted MCP Servers. The connection uses your Console sign-in, never a Workspace API key.

Check it

MCP: List Servers in the Command Palette shows refref as running.

• VS Code uses "servers", not "mcpServers", in .vscode/mcp.json.
• The Copilot coding agent on GitHub supports only MCP servers with static headers, so it cannot connect to the RefRef MCP server. It still follows the instructions file.
• A chat request can use at most 128 tools.