diff --git a/.github/copilot-instructions.md b/.github/copilot-instructions.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..28199fa2c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/copilot-instructions.md
@@ -0,0 +1,261 @@
+# Devito Copilot Instructions
+
+## Repository Overview
+
+Devito is a Python package for implementing optimized stencil computation (finite differences, image processing, machine learning) from high-level symbolic problem definitions. It builds on SymPy and employs automated code generation and just-in-time compilation to execute optimized computational kernels on CPUs, GPUs, and clusters.
+
+**Key Facts:**
+- Production-stable package (Development Status :: 5 - Production/Stable)
+- Python 3.10-3.13 support with comprehensive CI testing
+- ~290MB repository with extensive test coverage and benchmarking
+- Primary languages: Python (core), C/C++ (generated code)
+- Main dependencies: NumPy, SymPy, cgen, codepy, psutil
+- Supports multiple compilation backends: C, OpenMP, OpenACC, MPI
+- Active development with 600+ stars, 238+ forks, and regular releases
+
+## Build and Development Environment
+
+### Prerequisites and Installation
+
+**System Dependencies (Ubuntu/Debian):**
+```bash
+sudo apt update
+sudo apt install -y python3-dev python3-pip python3-venv build-essential
+```
+
+**Development Installation (preferred method):**
+```bash
+# Create and activate virtual environment
+python3 -m venv devito-env
+source devito-env/bin/activate
+
+# Install with all dependencies - requires network access
+pip install -e .[tests,extras]
+
+# Alternative: conda environment (recommended for full development)
+conda env create -f environment-dev.yml
+conda activate devito
+```
+
+**Docker Development (if dependencies fail):**
+```bash
+docker-compose up devito  # Starts Jupyter on port 8888
+# OR
+docker build . --file docker/Dockerfile.devito --tag devito_img
+```
+
+### Environment Variables (Critical for Compilation)
+```bash
+export DEVITO_ARCH="gcc"           # gcc, clang, icx, custom
+export DEVITO_LANGUAGE="openmp"    # C, openmp, CXX, CXXopenmp
+export OMP_NUM_THREADS=2           # For parallel tests
+```
+
+### Build and Test Commands
+
+**Linting (ALWAYS run before committing):**
+```bash
+flake8 --builtins=ArgumentError .
+# Configuration in pyproject.toml: max-line-length=90, specific ignore rules
+```
+
+**Testing:**
+```bash
+# Core tests (required, ~10-15 minutes)
+pytest -k "not adjoint" -m "not parallel" --maxfail=5 tests/
+
+# Adjoint tests (advanced feature tests)
+pytest -k "adjoint" -m "not parallel" tests/
+
+# Example tests (integration validation)
+pytest examples/
+
+# Specific test file
+pytest tests/test_operator.py -v
+```
+
+**Configuration Check:**
+```bash
+python3 -c "from devito import configuration; print(''.join(['%s: %s \n' % (k, v) for (k, v) in configuration.items()]))"
+```
+
+### Common Build Issues and Solutions
+
+1. **Import errors for cgen/codepy:** Install via pip or use conda environment
+2. **Compiler not found:** Set DEVITO_ARCH to match installed compiler
+3. **OpenMP issues on macOS:** Install with `brew install llvm libomp`
+4. **Network timeouts during pip install:** Use conda or Docker alternatives
+5. **Permission issues:** Use `--user` or `--break-system-packages` flags
+
+## Project Architecture and Layout
+
+### Core Directory Structure
+```
+devito/                 # Main source package
+├── __init__.py        # Package initialization, configuration setup
+├── arch/              # Architecture-specific compilation backends
+├── builtins/          # Built-in mathematical functions
+├── checkpointing/     # Checkpointing and reverse-mode functionality
+├── core/              # Core IR (Intermediate Representation) classes
+├── data/              # Data structures and memory management
+├── finite_differences/# Finite difference operators and stencils
+├── ir/                # Intermediate representation passes
+├── mpatches/          # Memory patches and optimizations
+├── mpi/               # MPI parallelization support
+├── operations/        # Mathematical operations and transformations
+├── operator/          # Operator compilation and generation
+├── passes/            # Compiler optimization passes
+├── symbolics/         # Symbolic computation utilities
+├── tools/             # Utility functions and helpers
+├── types/             # Core types (Grid, Function, Equation, etc.)
+├── deprecations.py    # Deprecation warnings and legacy support
+└── warnings.py        # Warning system and configuration
+
+tests/                 # Test suite (comprehensive coverage)
+examples/              # Tutorials and demonstrations
+├── seismic/          # Seismic modeling examples
+├── cfd/              # Computational fluid dynamics
+├── misc/             # Miscellaneous examples
+└── userapi/          # User API demonstrations
+
+scripts/               # Utility scripts
+docker/               # Docker configurations  
+benchmarks/           # Performance benchmarks and ASV configuration
+binder/               # Jupyter Binder configuration
+```
+
+### Key Configuration Files
+- `pyproject.toml`: Build configuration, dependencies, flake8 settings (max-line-length=90)
+- `pytest.ini`: Test configuration and options
+- `requirements*.txt`: Dependency specifications for different environments (mpi, nvidia, testing, optional)
+- `environment-dev.yml`: Conda environment specification (recommended for development)
+- `.github/workflows/`: CI/CD pipelines (13 comprehensive workflows)
+- `MANIFEST.in`: Package distribution file inclusion/exclusion rules
+
+## Continuous Integration and Validation
+
+### GitHub Workflows (All Must Pass)
+1. **pytest-core-nompi.yml**: Core functionality tests across Python 3.10-3.13, multiple GCC versions
+2. **pytest-core-mpi.yml**: MPI parallel execution tests  
+3. **pytest-gpu.yml**: GPU computation tests (OpenACC/CUDA)
+4. **flake8.yml**: Code style validation (90-char line limit, specific ignore rules)
+5. **examples.yml**: Integration tests via example execution
+6. **examples-mpi.yml**: MPI-based example validation
+7. **tutorials.yml**: Jupyter notebook validation
+8. **asv.yml**: Performance benchmarking and regression detection
+9. **docker-bases.yml**: Docker base image builds for testing environments
+10. **docker-devito.yml**: Devito-specific Docker image builds
+11. **pythonpublish.yml**: Package publishing to PyPI
+12. **release-notes.yml**: Automated release documentation
+13. **triggers.yml**: Workflow orchestration and triggers
+
+### Pre-commit Validation Steps
+```bash
+# 1. Lint code
+flake8 --builtins=ArgumentError .
+
+# 2. Run core tests
+pytest -k "not adjoint" -m "not parallel" --maxfail=5 tests/
+
+# 3. Check configuration
+python3 -c "from devito import configuration; print(configuration)"
+
+# 4. Test example (optional but recommended)
+python examples/seismic/acoustic/acoustic_example.py
+```
+
+### Test Execution Times
+- Core tests: 10-15 minutes
+- Full test suite: 30-45 minutes
+- Individual test files: 1-5 minutes
+- Linting: <1 minute
+- Examples: 5-10 minutes each
+
+## Development Guidelines
+
+### Code Style (Enforced by CI)
+- **Line length**: 90 characters maximum (configured in pyproject.toml)
+- **Indentation**: 4 spaces (no tabs)
+- **Imports**: Grouped (stdlib, third-party, devito) and alphabetically sorted
+- **Docstrings**: NumPy-style documentation required for public APIs
+- **Naming**: CamelCase classes, snake_case methods/variables
+
+### Commit Messages and PR Titles
+Use descriptive prefixes to categorize changes (based on recent repository patterns).
+
+**Guidelines:**
+- Capitalize the title after the prefix (e.g., `misc: Patch` not `misc: patch`)
+- Follow the official guide: https://github.com/devitocodes/devito/wiki/Tags-for-commit-messages-and-PR-titles
+
+**Common prefixes:**
+- **compiler:** Changes to compilation system, IR passes, code generation
+- **mpi:** MPI-related functionality and parallel execution
+- **misc:** General improvements, cleanup, modernization
+- **docs:** Documentation updates, docstring fixes
+- **install:** Installation, packaging, dependencies
+- **bug-py:** Python code bug fixes
+- **bug-C:** Generated C code bug fixes
+
+**Examples:**
+- `compiler: Hotfix estimate memory for certain devices`
+- `misc: switch to f-string throughout`
+- `docs: fix mmin/mmax docstring`
+- `install: Remove files and directories not needed for install`
+
+### Common Labels (for PR categorization)
+- **bug-py**, **bug-py-minor**, **bug-C**: Bug fixes by category
+- **compiler**: Compilation system changes
+- **MPI**: MPI and parallel execution
+- **documentation**: Documentation improvements
+- **installation**: Package installation and setup
+- **misc**: General improvements
+- **dependencies**: Dependency updates
+- **API**: Application Programming Interface changes
+
+### Making Changes
+1. **Always run linting first**: `flake8 --builtins=ArgumentError .`
+2. **Test specific areas**: Run relevant tests before committing
+3. **Environment setup**: Ensure DEVITO_ARCH and DEVITO_LANGUAGE are set
+4. **Documentation**: Update docstrings for API changes
+5. **Examples**: Add/update examples for new features
+
+### Critical Dependencies
+- **SymPy**: Symbolic mathematics (versions 1.12+ supported)
+- **NumPy**: Numerical arrays (version 2.x compatible)
+- **cgen/codepy**: C code generation and compilation
+- **psutil**: System monitoring and resource management
+- **setuptools-scm**: Dynamic versioning from git tags
+
+### Flake8 Configuration and Common Workarounds
+The project uses flake8 with specific ignore rules (configured in pyproject.toml):
+- **F403/F405**: Star imports are expected in `__init__.py` files due to API design
+- **E731**: Lambda expressions are acceptable for configuration and simple cases
+- **W503**: Line breaks before binary operators (older style preference)
+- **E722**: Bare except clauses are sometimes necessary for compatibility
+- **W605**: Invalid escape sequences in docstrings (legacy patterns)
+
+**Import order**: Follow the pattern in `devito/__init__.py` for consistency
+
+## Agent-Specific Instructions
+
+**Trust these instructions** - they are validated and current. Only search/explore if:
+1. Instructions appear outdated or incorrect
+2. New functionality is not covered
+3. Specific error messages require investigation
+
+**Time-saving tips:**
+1. Use Docker if pip installation fails due to network issues  
+2. Set environment variables before running any compilation-dependent tests
+3. Start with small test files when debugging (e.g., `pytest tests/test_operator.py::test_specific`)
+4. Check configuration output to verify environment setup
+5. Use `--maxfail=5` to stop test runs early on systematic failures
+6. Use python venv for full development workflow when possible
+7. Run flake8 first before making commits to catch style issues early
+
+**File modification priorities:**
+1. Core types and operators: `devito/types/`, `devito/operator/`
+2. Mathematical operations: `devito/finite_differences/`, `devito/symbolics/`
+3. Compilation backends: `devito/arch/`, `devito/passes/`
+4. MPI functionality: `devito/mpi/`
+5. Always update corresponding tests in `tests/`
+6. Update documentation in examples/ if adding new features
\ No newline at end of file