diff --git a/.github/copilot-instructions.md b/.github/copilot-instructions.md
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+# Cookiecutter Django - AI Coding Agent Instructions
+
+## Project Architecture
+
+This is a **Cookiecutter template** for Django projects, not a standard Django application. The actual project structure exists in `{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/` which contains Jinja2 template syntax (`{{ }}`, `{% %}`) that gets rendered when users run `cookiecutter` to generate a new Django project.
+
+### Key Directories
+
+- `{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/` - Template for generated Django projects with Jinja2 variables
+- `hooks/` - Python scripts that run before/after project generation (`pre_gen_project.py`, `post_gen_project.py`)
+- `tests/` - Template generation tests using pytest-cookies
+- `docs/` - Project documentation (separate from generated project docs)
+- `scripts/` - Maintenance utilities (version bumps, changelog updates)
+
+### Template Rendering Flow
+
+1. User runs `cookiecutter` with configuration choices in `cookiecutter.json`
+2. `hooks/pre_gen_project.py` validates choices (e.g., project_slug format, cloud provider compatibility)
+3. Jinja2 renders all `{{cookiecutter.*}}` variables and `{% if %}` conditionals
+4. `hooks/post_gen_project.py` removes unused files based on choices (Docker, Celery, frontend pipeline, etc.)
+
+## Critical Development Workflows
+
+### Running Template Tests
+
+```bash
+# Test template generation (fast)
+uv run tox run -e py
+
+# Test specific scenario
+uv run tox run -e py -- -k test_default_configuration
+
+# Full integration tests (slow)
+tests/test_bare.sh use_celery=y  # Without Docker
+tests/test_docker.sh use_docker=y  # With Docker
+```
+
+### Testing Generated Projects
+
+The template produces different outputs based on `cookiecutter.json` choices. Test scripts generate projects, install dependencies, and run their test suites:
+
+- `test_bare.sh` - Bare metal setup (no Docker)
+- `test_docker.sh` - Docker-based setup with compose files
+
+### Docker Commands for Generated Projects
+
+Generated projects use Docker Compose with different configs:
+
+```bash
+# Local development
+docker compose -f docker-compose.local.yml up
+docker compose -f docker-compose.local.yml run --rm django pytest
+docker compose -f docker-compose.local.yml run django uv lock  # Generate lockfile
+
+# Production setup
+docker compose -f docker-compose.production.yml build
+docker compose -f docker-compose.production.yml up -d
+```
+
+Generated projects may include a `justfile` with shortcuts:
+
+```bash
+just up              # Start containers
+just manage migrate  # Run Django management commands
+just logs django     # View service logs
+```
+
+## Project-Specific Conventions
+
+### Jinja2 Template Syntax
+
+All files in `{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/` contain template variables:
+
+- `{{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}` - User's project name
+- `{% if cookiecutter.use_docker == 'y' %}...{% endif %}` - Conditional sections
+- `{%- if ... -%}` - Whitespace control (important for Python indentation)
+
+**Never edit template files without preserving Jinja2 syntax.** Example from `base.py`:
+
+```python
+TIME_ZONE = "{{ cookiecutter.timezone }}"
+{% if cookiecutter.use_docker == "y" -%}
+DATABASES = {"default": env.db("DATABASE_URL")}
+{%- else %}
+DATABASES = {"default": env.db("DATABASE_URL", default="postgres:///{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}")}
+{%- endif %}
+```
+
+### Hook System
+
+`hooks/post_gen_project.py` contains cleanup logic that removes files based on user choices:
+
+- `remove_docker_files()` if `use_docker == 'n'`
+- `remove_celery_files()` if `use_celery == 'n'`
+- `handle_js_runner()` configures Gulp/Webpack or removes frontend tooling
+
+When adding new optional features, update both the template files AND the corresponding removal function in hooks.
+
+### Configuration Matrix Testing
+
+`tests/test_cookiecutter_generation.py` defines `SUPPORTED_COMBINATIONS` - a matrix of valid configuration options. Each combination is tested to ensure:
+
+- Valid project generation (no Jinja2 errors)
+- No unrendered template variables remain (regex check)
+- Basic linting passes (ruff)
+
+Add new combinations when introducing features with interdependencies (e.g., `cloud_provider` + `mail_service`).
+
+## Integration Points
+
+### Dependency Management
+
+Generated projects use **uv** for Python dependencies with lockfiles:
+
+- Template root: `pyproject.toml` defines template dev dependencies (cookiecutter, pytest-cookies, ruff)
+- Generated projects: `{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/pyproject.toml` defines Django app dependencies
+- Docker builds run `uv sync` to install from lockfiles
+
+### CI/CD Configuration
+
+Templates include conditional CI configs:
+
+- `{% if cookiecutter.ci_tool == 'Github' %}` generates `.github/workflows/ci.yml`
+- `{% if cookiecutter.ci_tool == 'Gitlab' %}` generates `.gitlab-ci.yml`
+
+CI tests both linting and project tests with environment-specific commands (Docker vs bare metal).
+
+### Settings Architecture
+
+Generated projects use django-environ with three settings modules:
+
+- `config/settings/base.py` - Shared settings with Jinja2 variables
+- `config/settings/local.py` - Development settings
+- `config/settings/production.py` - Production with cloud provider integrations
+
+Environment variables read from `.envs/.local/` or `.envs/.production/` directories in Docker setups.
+
+## Common Patterns
+
+### Adding Optional Features
+
+1. Add choice to `cookiecutter.json` with default
+2. Add conditional blocks in template files: `{% if cookiecutter.new_feature == 'y' %}`
+3. Create removal function in `hooks/post_gen_project.py`
+4. Update test matrix in `tests/test_cookiecutter_generation.py`
+5. Document in `docs/1-getting-started/project-generation-options.rst`
+
+### Version Bumps
+
+Use maintenance scripts instead of manual edits:
+
+- `scripts/node_version.py` - Update Node.js versions across Dockerfiles, package.json, CI
+- `scripts/ruff_version.py` - Update Ruff versions in pyproject.toml files
+- `scripts/update_changelog.py` - Generate changelog entries
+
+### Pre-commit Configuration
+
+Both template and generated projects use pre-commit with ruff for linting. Auto-fixable style issues are skipped in CI via `AUTOFIXABLE_STYLES` env var since they're tedious to fix in Jinja2 templates.
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 44bfd69ba4..6a7e03debc 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -67,3 +67,7 @@ $ tests/test_bare.sh use_celery=y
 Once you're happy with your changes and they look ok locally, push and send [a pull request][submit-a-pr] to the main repo, which will trigger the tests on GitHub actions. If they fail, try to fix them. A maintainer should take a look at your change and give you feedback or merge it.
 
 [submit-a-pr]: https://docs.github.com/en/pull-requests/collaborating-with-pull-requests/proposing-changes-to-your-work-with-pull-requests/creating-a-pull-request
+
+## GitHub Copilot Instructions
+
+If you use GitHub Copilot, note that this repository includes AI coding agent instructions in `.github/copilot-instructions.md`. These provide Copilot with context about the Cookiecutter template architecture, testing workflows, and development conventions to give more accurate suggestions when working on this project.