Add configurable session idle timeout option by MackinnonBuck · Pull Request #1093 · github/copilot-sdk

MackinnonBuck · 2026-04-16T18:28:14Z

Summary

Adds SDK-side support for configurable session idle timeout across all four SDK languages, addressing github/copilot-sdk-partners#28.

The corresponding runtime changes that add the --session-idle-timeout CLI arg are in github/copilot-agent-runtime#6414.

Changes

Node.js

nodejs/src/types.ts -- Added sessionIdleTimeoutSeconds?: number to CopilotClientOptions.
nodejs/src/client.ts -- Defaults to 0 (disabled); passes --session-idle-timeout <seconds> to the CLI when positive.
nodejs/test/client.test.ts -- Unit tests for default and custom values.

Go

go/types.go -- Added SessionIdleTimeoutSeconds int to ClientOptions.
go/client.go -- Copies the option in NewClient() and passes --session-idle-timeout <seconds> to the CLI when positive.
go/client_test.go -- Unit tests for default and custom values.

Python

python/copilot/client.py -- Added session_idle_timeout_seconds: int | None = None to SubprocessConfig; passes --session-idle-timeout <seconds> to the CLI when positive.
python/test_client.py -- Unit tests for default and custom values.

.NET

dotnet/src/Types.cs -- Added SessionIdleTimeoutSeconds int? to CopilotClientOptions (including copy constructor).
dotnet/src/Client.cs -- Passes --session-idle-timeout <seconds> to the CLI when positive.
dotnet/test/ClientTests.cs -- Unit tests for default and custom values.
dotnet/test/CloneTests.cs -- Clone test updated.

Docs

docs/features/session-persistence.md -- Updated the "Automatic Cleanup: Idle Timeout" section to reflect that sessions now have no idle timeout by default and document the new option.

Notes

This is a CopilotClientOptions field (server/process level), not a per-session config.
The option is only relevant when the SDK spawns the runtime process (not when using cliUrl to connect to an existing server).
Minimum value is 300 seconds (5 minutes); validation is handled by the runtime.

Copilot

Pull request overview

Adds a new Node SDK client option to configure a server-wide session idle timeout and wires it through to the spawned Copilot CLI runtime via a new --session-idle-timeout argument, with accompanying documentation updates.

Changes:

Adds sessionIdleTimeoutMs?: number to CopilotClientOptions with documented defaults/minimums.
Sets a default of 0 (disabled) and forwards --session-idle-timeout <ms> when configured to a positive value.
Updates session persistence docs to describe the new default behavior and configuration caveats (only applies when the SDK spawns the runtime).

Show a summary per file

File	Description
nodejs/src/types.ts	Introduces the new `CopilotClientOptions.sessionIdleTimeoutMs` option and documents intended semantics.
nodejs/src/client.ts	Applies defaulting and forwards the new option to the CLI as `--session-idle-timeout`.
docs/features/session-persistence.md	Documents the new option, updated defaults, and `cliUrl` caveat.

Copilot's findings

Files reviewed: 3/3 changed files
Comments generated: 2

Add a new optional sessionIdleTimeoutMs field to CopilotClientOptions that allows consumers to configure the server-wide session idle timeout. When set to a positive value, the SDK passes --session-idle-timeout to the CLI process. Sessions have no idle timeout by default (infinite lifetime). The minimum configurable value is 300000ms (5 minutes). Also updates the session persistence documentation to reflect the new default behavior and configuration option. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

…sion-idle-timeout-option

github-actions

Generated by SDK Consistency Review Agent for issue #1093 · ● 603.8K

Add the session idle timeout option across all remaining SDK languages, consistent with the Node.js implementation and the runtime CLI's --session-idle-timeout flag. - Go: SessionIdleTimeoutSeconds int on ClientOptions - Python: session_idle_timeout_seconds on SubprocessConfig - .NET: SessionIdleTimeoutSeconds int? on CopilotClientOptions Each SDK passes --session-idle-timeout <seconds> to the CLI when the value is positive, and omits it otherwise (disabled by default). Includes unit tests for all three languages and updates the .NET clone test to cover the new property. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

github-actions

Generated by SDK Consistency Review Agent for issue #1093 · ● 278.9K

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

github-actions

Generated by SDK Consistency Review Agent for issue #1093 · ● 291.2K

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

The runtime does not enforce a minimum value for the session idle timeout - any positive value is accepted. Remove the 'Minimum value: 300 (5 minutes)' note from all SDK docstrings and docs. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

The option was only copied when > 0, which silently normalized negative inputs. Other SDKs preserve the caller's value and gate only at spawn time. Align Go to match. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

github-actions · 2026-04-21T18:14:02Z

Cross-SDK Consistency Review ✅

This PR maintains excellent cross-language consistency for the new sessionIdleTimeoutSeconds option. Here's a quick breakdown:

SDK	Field name	Type	Default	CLI arg
Node.js	`sessionIdleTimeoutSeconds`	`number?`	`0` (normalized)	`--session-idle-timeout`
Python	`session_idle_timeout_seconds`	`int \| None`	`None`	`--session-idle-timeout`
Go	`SessionIdleTimeoutSeconds`	`int`	`0`	`--session-idle-timeout`
.NET	`SessionIdleTimeoutSeconds`	`int?`	`null`	`--session-idle-timeout`

Observations:

✅ All four SDKs implement the feature
✅ Naming conventions are correctly adapted per language (camelCase / snake_case / PascalCase)
✅ CLI argument (--session-idle-timeout) is identical across all SDKs
✅ Disable behavior is consistent: 0, None, or null all skip passing the flag
✅ Documentation updated, tests added for all four SDKs
✅ Python correctly places the option on SubprocessConfig (semantically accurate since it only applies in subprocess mode); this matches the existing pattern in that SDK

Minor note (no action needed): Go uses a non-nullable int (zero = disabled) while .NET and Python use nullable types. This is idiomatic per language and the runtime behavior is identical.

No consistency gaps found. 🎉

Generated by SDK Consistency Review Agent for issue #1093 · ● 166.9K · ◷

MackinnonBuck requested a review from a team as a code owner April 16, 2026 18:28

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings April 16, 2026 18:28

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of MackinnonBuck April 16, 2026 18:28 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 16, 2026

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Comment thread nodejs/src/client.ts

Comment thread nodejs/src/client.ts Outdated

MackinnonBuck marked this pull request as draft April 16, 2026 20:24

MackinnonBuck and others added 4 commits April 16, 2026 16:45

refactor: rename sessionIdleTimeoutMs to sessionIdleTimeoutSeconds

02d0ca2

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

fix: correct @default tag for sessionIdleTimeoutSeconds

282f1a4

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

fix: format client.ts with prettier

ede32da

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

MackinnonBuck force-pushed the mackinnonbuck/add-session-idle-timeout-option branch from f3008df to ede32da Compare April 16, 2026 23:52

Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into mackinnonbuck/add-ses…

9c32956

…sion-idle-timeout-option

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github-actions Bot reviewed Apr 21, 2026

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github-actions Bot reviewed Apr 21, 2026

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Comment thread nodejs/src/types.ts

Comment thread python/copilot/client.py

docs: add external-server caveat to Node.js and Python idle timeout docs

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Comment thread nodejs/src/types.ts

MackinnonBuck and others added 2 commits April 21, 2026 10:31

test: add Node.js unit tests for sessionIdleTimeoutSeconds

5db3a8a

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

fix: format test_client.py with ruff

93e1c4e

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MackinnonBuck marked this pull request as ready for review April 21, 2026 18:33

SteveSandersonMS approved these changes Apr 23, 2026

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SteveSandersonMS added this pull request to the merge queue Apr 23, 2026

Merged via the queue into main with commit b4ef955 Apr 23, 2026
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SteveSandersonMS deleted the mackinnonbuck/add-session-idle-timeout-option branch April 23, 2026 09:37

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Add configurable session idle timeout option#1093

Add configurable session idle timeout option#1093
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MackinnonBuck commented Apr 16, 2026 •

edited

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MackinnonBuck commented Apr 16, 2026 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

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Summary

Changes

Node.js

Go

Python

.NET

Docs

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github-actions Bot commented Apr 21, 2026

Cross-SDK Consistency Review ✅

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MackinnonBuck commented Apr 16, 2026 •

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