github / github/copilot-cli

Store session state under project `.copilot/` directory to support ephemeral home directories (Docker, CI, devcontainers)

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#3,021 1 comment 1 reaction 0 assignees View on GitHub
area:configuration area:sessions
Dominant language
Shell
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Description

### Problem

When running Copilot CLI inside a Docker container, devcontainer, or CI runner, the home directory (`~/.copilot/session-state/`) is ephemeral — it is lost when the container exits. This makes `/session restore SESSION_ID` permanently unavailable after the container shuts down, even if the working project directory is a persistent volume mount or git checkout.

The session state that gets lost includes:
- The event log (`events.jsonl`) needed for session restore
- Checkpoints and their index
- Any session artifacts written to the session folder

### Proposed solution

Allow the runtime to store (or mirror) session state under a `.copilot/session-state/` directory inside the project working directory, rather than exclusively under `~/.copilot/session-state/`.

A reasonable implementation:

1. If a `.copilot/` directory exists in the current working directory when a session starts, store session state there instead of (or in addition to) `~/.copilot/session-state/`.
2. When resolving a session ID for `/session restore`, also search `.copilot/session-state/` in the cwd.
3. Optionally: support a config option or environment variable (e.g. `COPILOT_SESSION_DIR`) to explicitly override the storage root.

The `.copilot/` directory in the project can already be used as home for agent-created artifacts (like `plan.md`). Keeping session state there as well makes the whole session context co-located with the code it relates to, and committable to git if desired.

### Relation to existing issues

Issue #1947 requests cloud-synced sessions for cross-device continuity. This request is narrower — it only requires the runtime to look in an additional local directory, with no network dependency.

### Environment

Any environment where `$HOME` is not persistent: Docker containers, GitHub Codespaces rebuilds, CI runners, devcontainers.

Suggested label: area:sessions

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Begin by locating the session-state writer and the `/session restore` lookup; the issue names no source files or tests. Check behavior in a persistent project directory with an ephemeral home, including existing `.copilot/session-state/` and the proposed `COPILOT_SESSION_DIR` override. Done means session state is stored or found as specified and restore works after the home directory is discarded.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
docker, shell
Domain
cli, devops, infrastructure
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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