github / github/copilot-cli

Support `/rename` in VS Code agent sessions, and let the agent invoke it

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area:agents area:sessions
Dominant language
Shell
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Description

Problem

/rename (added in #1776) works in the terminal CLI, but not for Copilot CLI sessions hosted in VS Code's Agents window:

  • Typing /rename in an agent session's chat has no effect there — renaming is only available through the VS Code UI (verified 2026-07-23).
  • There is no way for the agent itself to rename its session — no tool, and no slash-command it can run.

Proposal

  1. Honor /rename NEW_NAME in VS Code agent sessions, matching the terminal CLI behavior.
  2. Expose rename to the agent (a tool, or agent-invocable /rename), so workflows can set titles programmatically.

Use case

Session-hygiene rituals: I keep many long-running agent sessions and prefix titles with a status word as threads settle — DONE …, PARKED …, CONT'D … — so the session picker doubles as a work board. Today every close-out ends with manual rename homework; an agent-invocable rename would let the close-out workflow set the title itself (and lower-stakes: agents could title sessions descriptively from the start, cf. #3365 on auto-naming).

Notes from poking at the internals

  • A UI rename syncs into ~/.copilot/session-state/UUID/workspace.yaml (name: + user_named:), so agents can already read current titles (verified 2026-07-24).
  • Writing workspace.yaml directly doesn't work as a workaround: VS Code caches session labels elsewhere (workspace state.vscdb, agentSessions.model.cache) and doesn't notice the change.

Related

  • #1776 — added /rename (terminal CLI)
  • #3365 — auto-generated session names not working
  • #3415 — show session name at all times
  • #2966 — broader session-management tooling

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by tracing the existing terminal /rename implementation from #1776, then inspect workspace.yaml and the VS Code state.vscdb/agentSessions.model.cache behavior described here. Done means /rename NEW_NAME works in VS Code agent chat and an agent has a supported way to rename its session.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
shell, vscode
Domain
cli, developer-experience
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
38/100

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