github / github/copilot-sdk

Expose and serialize allowAllMcpServerInstructions in TypeScript SDK

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enhancement
Dominant language
Java
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Description

## Problem

The Copilot runtime protocol supports `allowAllMcpServerInstructions`, but TypeScript SDK 1.0.11 does not provide a working `SessionConfig` path for it.

The generated RPC types contain the field, and the runtime describes it as including instructions from every MCP server instead of only allowlisted servers. However:

- `dist/types.d.ts` does not expose it on `SessionConfigBase`.
- `CopilotClient.createSession()` in `dist/client.js` does not serialize it into the `session.create` request.
- A consumer adding the property at runtime therefore has no effect.

This prevents evaluation harnesses and other SDK consumers from explicitly testing or enabling instructions from a non-allowlisted MCP server.

## Controlled reproduction

A one-turn probe used a temporary MCP server whose unique canary existed only in server-level initialization instructions. The tool description did not contain the canary, and the prompt prohibited tool calls.

- Stock SDK: agent returned `NO_MCP_INSTRUCTION_CANARY` (18,924 tokens, 1 turn, 0 tool calls).
- Consumer supplied `allowAllMcpServerInstructions: true` without changing SDK serialization: same negative result.
- Temporary SDK wiring that serialized the field into `session.create`, together with the consumer option: agent returned the exact instruction canary (19,028 tokens, 1 turn, 0 tool calls).

This isolates the missing SDK forwarding from model variance and MCP tool selection.

## Requested behavior

1. Add `allowAllMcpServerInstructions?: boolean` to the public TypeScript session configuration shared by create/resume paths as appropriate.
2. Serialize it to the runtime request and ensure resumed or updated sessions honor the same policy.
3. Preserve the secure default: omitted or `false` must continue to exclude instructions from non-allowlisted servers.

## Required side-by-side tests

Please cover both policy states using the same non-allowlisted MCP server fixture:

- **Disallowed:** omitted and explicit `false` do not expose the server instruction canary.
- **Allowed:** explicit `true` exposes the exact canary.
- The server's tools remain available in both states, proving the assertion concerns instruction visibility rather than MCP startup.
- Wire-level tests assert both `false` and `true` are serialized correctly where supplied.

The allow/disallow behavior should remain explicit rather than changing the default globally.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start with dist/types.d.ts and dist/client.js, then trace the generated RPC types and the CopilotClient.createSession() request path, including resume or update handling. Use the same non-allowlisted MCP server fixture for side-by-side tests and wire-level assertions. Done means omitted and false keep the canary hidden while true exposes it, with tools available in every case.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
typescript
Domain
api, testing-qa
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Clearly specified
Newbie friendliness
68/100

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