Breaking change: deny all permissions by default

docs/compatibility.md

@@ -124,20 +124,13 @@ The `--share` option is not available via SDK. Workarounds:
 
 ### Permission Control
 
+The SDK uses a **deny-by-default** permission model. All permission requests (file writes, shell commands, URL fetches, etc.) are denied unless your app provides an `onPermissionRequest` handler.
+
 Instead of `--allow-all-paths` or `--yolo`, use the permission handler:
 
 ```typescript
 const session = await client.createSession({
-  onPermissionRequest: async (request) => {
-    // Auto-approve everything (equivalent to --yolo)
-    return { approved: true };
-
-    // Or implement custom logic
-    if (request.kind === "shell") {
-      return { approved: request.command.startsWith("git") };
-    }
-    return { approved: true };
-  },
+  onPermissionRequest: approveAll,
 });
 ```
 

dotnet/samples/Chat.cs

@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 using GitHub.Copilot.SDK;
 
 await using var client = new CopilotClient();
-await using var session = await client.CreateSessionAsync();
+await using var session = await client.CreateSessionAsync(new SessionConfig
+{
+    OnPermissionRequest = PermissionHandler.ApproveAll
+});
 
 using var _ = session.On(evt =>
 {

dotnet/src/Client.cs

@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ public async Task<CopilotSession> CreateSessionAsync(SessionConfig? config = nul
             config?.AvailableTools,
             config?.ExcludedTools,
             config?.Provider,
-            config?.OnPermissionRequest != null ? true : null,
+            (bool?)true,
             config?.OnUserInputRequest != null ? true : null,
             hasHooks ? true : null,
             config?.WorkingDirectory,
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ public async Task<CopilotSession> ResumeSessionAsync(string sessionId, ResumeSes
             config?.AvailableTools,
             config?.ExcludedTools,
             config?.Provider,
-            config?.OnPermissionRequest != null ? true : null,
+            (bool?)true,
             config?.OnUserInputRequest != null ? true : null,
             hasHooks ? true : null,
             config?.WorkingDirectory,

dotnet/src/PermissionHandlers.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ *  Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
+ *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+namespace GitHub.Copilot.SDK;
+
+/// <summary>Provides pre-built <see cref="PermissionRequestHandler"/> implementations.</summary>
+public static class PermissionHandler
+{
+    /// <summary>A <see cref="PermissionRequestHandler"/> that approves all permission requests.</summary>
+    public static PermissionRequestHandler ApproveAll { get; } =
+        (_, _) => Task.FromResult(new PermissionRequestResult { Kind = "approved" });
+}

dotnet/src/Session.cs

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public partial class CopilotSession : IAsyncDisposable
     private readonly HashSet<SessionEventHandler> _eventHandlers = new();
     private readonly Dictionary<string, AIFunction> _toolHandlers = new();
     private readonly JsonRpc _rpc;
-    private PermissionHandler? _permissionHandler;
+    private PermissionRequestHandler? _permissionHandler;
     private readonly SemaphoreSlim _permissionHandlerLock = new(1, 1);
     private UserInputHandler? _userInputHandler;
     private readonly SemaphoreSlim _userInputHandlerLock = new(1, 1);
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ internal void RegisterTools(ICollection<AIFunction> tools)
     /// When the assistant needs permission to perform certain actions (e.g., file operations),
     /// this handler is called to approve or deny the request.
     /// </remarks>
-    internal void RegisterPermissionHandler(PermissionHandler handler)
+    internal void RegisterPermissionHandler(PermissionRequestHandler handler)
     {
         _permissionHandlerLock.Wait();
         try
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ internal void RegisterPermissionHandler(PermissionHandler handler)
     internal async Task<PermissionRequestResult> HandlePermissionRequestAsync(JsonElement permissionRequestData)
     {
         await _permissionHandlerLock.WaitAsync();
-        PermissionHandler? handler;
+        PermissionRequestHandler? handler;
         try
         {
             handler = _permissionHandler;

dotnet/src/Types.cs

@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ public class PermissionInvocation
     public string SessionId { get; set; } = string.Empty;
 }
 
-public delegate Task<PermissionRequestResult> PermissionHandler(PermissionRequest request, PermissionInvocation invocation);
+public delegate Task<PermissionRequestResult> PermissionRequestHandler(PermissionRequest request, PermissionInvocation invocation);
 
 // ============================================================================
 // User Input Handler Types
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ protected SessionConfig(SessionConfig? other)
     /// Handler for permission requests from the server.
     /// When provided, the server will call this handler to request permission for operations.
     /// </summary>
-    public PermissionHandler? OnPermissionRequest { get; set; }
+    public PermissionRequestHandler? OnPermissionRequest { get; set; }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Handler for user input requests from the agent.
@@ -932,7 +932,7 @@ protected ResumeSessionConfig(ResumeSessionConfig? other)
     /// Handler for permission requests from the server.
     /// When provided, the server will call this handler to request permission for operations.
     /// </summary>
-    public PermissionHandler? OnPermissionRequest { get; set; }
+    public PermissionRequestHandler? OnPermissionRequest { get; set; }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Handler for user input requests from the agent.

dotnet/test/HooksTests.cs

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ public async Task Should_Invoke_PreToolUse_Hook_When_Model_Runs_A_Tool()
         CopilotSession? session = null;
         session = await Client.CreateSessionAsync(new SessionConfig
         {
+            OnPermissionRequest = PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
             Hooks = new SessionHooks
             {
                 OnPreToolUse = (input, invocation) =>
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ public async Task Should_Invoke_PostToolUse_Hook_After_Model_Runs_A_Tool()
         CopilotSession? session = null;
         session = await Client.CreateSessionAsync(new SessionConfig
         {
+            OnPermissionRequest = PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
             Hooks = new SessionHooks
             {
                 OnPostToolUse = (input, invocation) =>
@@ -89,6 +91,7 @@ public async Task Should_Invoke_Both_PreToolUse_And_PostToolUse_Hooks_For_Single
 
         var session = await Client.CreateSessionAsync(new SessionConfig
         {
+            OnPermissionRequest = PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
             Hooks = new SessionHooks
             {
                 OnPreToolUse = (input, invocation) =>
@@ -130,6 +133,7 @@ public async Task Should_Deny_Tool_Execution_When_PreToolUse_Returns_Deny()
 
         var session = await Client.CreateSessionAsync(new SessionConfig
         {
+            OnPermissionRequest = PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
             Hooks = new SessionHooks
             {
                 OnPreToolUse = (input, invocation) =>

dotnet/test/McpAndAgentsTests.cs

@@ -279,7 +279,8 @@ public async Task Should_Pass_Literal_Env_Values_To_Mcp_Server_Subprocess()
 
         var session = await Client.CreateSessionAsync(new SessionConfig
         {
-            McpServers = mcpServers
+            McpServers = mcpServers,
+            OnPermissionRequest = PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
         });
 
         Assert.Matches(@"^[a-f0-9-]+$", session.SessionId);

dotnet/test/SessionTests.cs

@@ -333,7 +333,10 @@ public async Task Should_Receive_Session_Events()
     [Fact]
     public async Task Send_Returns_Immediately_While_Events_Stream_In_Background()
     {
-        var session = await Client.CreateSessionAsync();
+        var session = await Client.CreateSessionAsync(new SessionConfig
+        {
+            OnPermissionRequest = PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
+        });
         var events = new List<string>();
 
         session.On(evt => events.Add(evt.Type));

dotnet/test/ToolsTests.cs

@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ await File.WriteAllTextAsync(
             Path.Combine(Ctx.WorkDir, "README.md"),
             "# ELIZA, the only chatbot you'll ever need");
 
-        var session = await Client.CreateSessionAsync();
+        var session = await Client.CreateSessionAsync(new SessionConfig
+        {
+            OnPermissionRequest = PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
+        });
 
         await session.SendAsync(new MessageOptions
         {

go/client.go

@@ -473,9 +473,7 @@ func (c *Client) CreateSession(ctx context.Context, config *SessionConfig) (*Ses
 		if config.Streaming {
 			req.Streaming = Bool(true)
 		}
-		if config.OnPermissionRequest != nil {
-			req.RequestPermission = Bool(true)
-		}
+		req.RequestPermission = Bool(true)
 		if config.OnUserInputRequest != nil {
 			req.RequestUserInput = Bool(true)
 		}
@@ -562,9 +560,7 @@ func (c *Client) ResumeSessionWithOptions(ctx context.Context, sessionID string,
 		if config.Streaming {
 			req.Streaming = Bool(true)
 		}
-		if config.OnPermissionRequest != nil {
-			req.RequestPermission = Bool(true)
-		}
+		req.RequestPermission = Bool(true)
 		if config.OnUserInputRequest != nil {
 			req.RequestUserInput = Bool(true)
 		}

go/internal/e2e/hooks_test.go

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ func TestHooks(t *testing.T) {
 		var mu sync.Mutex
 
 		session, err := client.CreateSession(t.Context(), &copilot.SessionConfig{
+			OnPermissionRequest: copilot.PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
 			Hooks: &copilot.SessionHooks{
 				OnPreToolUse: func(input copilot.PreToolUseHookInput, invocation copilot.HookInvocation) (*copilot.PreToolUseHookOutput, error) {
 					mu.Lock()
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ func TestHooks(t *testing.T) {
 		var mu sync.Mutex
 
 		session, err := client.CreateSession(t.Context(), &copilot.SessionConfig{
+			OnPermissionRequest: copilot.PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
 			Hooks: &copilot.SessionHooks{
 				OnPostToolUse: func(input copilot.PostToolUseHookInput, invocation copilot.HookInvocation) (*copilot.PostToolUseHookOutput, error) {
 					mu.Lock()
@@ -145,6 +147,7 @@ func TestHooks(t *testing.T) {
 		var mu sync.Mutex
 
 		session, err := client.CreateSession(t.Context(), &copilot.SessionConfig{
+			OnPermissionRequest: copilot.PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
 			Hooks: &copilot.SessionHooks{
 				OnPreToolUse: func(input copilot.PreToolUseHookInput, invocation copilot.HookInvocation) (*copilot.PreToolUseHookOutput, error) {
 					mu.Lock()
@@ -214,6 +217,7 @@ func TestHooks(t *testing.T) {
 		var mu sync.Mutex
 
 		session, err := client.CreateSession(t.Context(), &copilot.SessionConfig{
+			OnPermissionRequest: copilot.PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
 			Hooks: &copilot.SessionHooks{
 				OnPreToolUse: func(input copilot.PreToolUseHookInput, invocation copilot.HookInvocation) (*copilot.PreToolUseHookOutput, error) {
 					mu.Lock()

go/internal/e2e/mcp_and_agents_test.go

@@ -126,7 +126,8 @@ func TestMCPServers(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		session, err := client.CreateSession(t.Context(), &copilot.SessionConfig{
-			MCPServers: mcpServers,
+			MCPServers:          mcpServers,
+			OnPermissionRequest: copilot.PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("Failed to create session: %v", err)

go/permissions.go

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+package copilot
+
+// PermissionHandler provides pre-built OnPermissionRequest implementations.
+var PermissionHandler = struct {
+	// ApproveAll approves all permission requests.
+	ApproveAll func(PermissionRequest, PermissionInvocation) (PermissionRequestResult, error)
+}{
+	ApproveAll: func(_ PermissionRequest, _ PermissionInvocation) (PermissionRequestResult, error) {
+		return PermissionRequestResult{Kind: "approved"}, nil
+	},
+}

go/samples/chat.go

@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	defer client.Stop()
 
-	session, err := client.CreateSession(ctx, nil)
+	session, err := client.CreateSession(ctx, &copilot.SessionConfig{
+		CLIPath:             cliPath,
+		OnPermissionRequest: copilot.PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
+	})
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}

go/types.go

@@ -349,7 +349,9 @@ type SessionConfig struct {
 	// ExcludedTools is a list of tool names to disable. All other tools remain available.
 	// Ignored if AvailableTools is specified.
 	ExcludedTools []string
-	// OnPermissionRequest is a handler for permission requests from the server
+	// OnPermissionRequest is a handler for permission requests from the server.
+	// If nil, all permission requests are denied by default.
+	// Provide a handler to approve operations (file writes, shell commands, URL fetches, etc.).
 	OnPermissionRequest PermissionHandler
 	// OnUserInputRequest is a handler for user input requests from the agent (enables ask_user tool)
 	OnUserInputRequest UserInputHandler
@@ -426,7 +428,9 @@ type ResumeSessionConfig struct {
 	// ReasoningEffort level for models that support it.
 	// Valid values: "low", "medium", "high", "xhigh"
 	ReasoningEffort string
-	// OnPermissionRequest is a handler for permission requests from the server
+	// OnPermissionRequest is a handler for permission requests from the server.
+	// If nil, all permission requests are denied by default.
+	// Provide a handler to approve operations (file writes, shell commands, URL fetches, etc.).
 	OnPermissionRequest PermissionHandler
 	// OnUserInputRequest is a handler for user input requests from the agent (enables ask_user tool)
 	OnUserInputRequest UserInputHandler

nodejs/samples/chat.ts

@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 import * as readline from "node:readline";
-import { CopilotClient, type SessionEvent } from "@github/copilot-sdk";
+import { CopilotClient, approveAll, type SessionEvent } from "@github/copilot-sdk";
 
 async function main() {
     const client = new CopilotClient();
-    const session = await client.createSession();
+    const session = await client.createSession({
+        onPermissionRequest: approveAll,
+    });
 
     session.on((event: SessionEvent) => {
         let output: string | null = null;

nodejs/src/client.ts

@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ export class CopilotClient {
             availableTools: config.availableTools,
             excludedTools: config.excludedTools,
             provider: config.provider,
-            requestPermission: !!config.onPermissionRequest,
+            requestPermission: true,
             requestUserInput: !!config.onUserInputRequest,
             hooks: !!(config.hooks && Object.values(config.hooks).some(Boolean)),
             workingDirectory: config.workingDirectory,
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ export class CopilotClient {
                 parameters: toJsonSchema(tool.parameters),
             })),
             provider: config.provider,
-            requestPermission: !!config.onPermissionRequest,
+            requestPermission: true,
             requestUserInput: !!config.onUserInputRequest,
             hooks: !!(config.hooks && Object.values(config.hooks).some(Boolean)),
             workingDirectory: config.workingDirectory,

nodejs/src/index.ts

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 export { CopilotClient } from "./client.js";
 export { CopilotSession, type AssistantMessageEvent } from "./session.js";
-export { defineTool } from "./types.js";
+export { defineTool, approveAll } from "./types.js";
 export type {
     ConnectionState,
     CopilotClientOptions,

nodejs/src/types.ts

@@ -230,6 +230,8 @@ export type PermissionHandler = (
     invocation: { sessionId: string }
 ) => Promise<PermissionRequestResult> | PermissionRequestResult;
 
+export const approveAll: PermissionHandler = () => ({ kind: "approved" });
+
 // ============================================================================
 // User Input Request Types
 // ============================================================================

nodejs/test/e2e/hooks.test.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import type {
     PostToolUseHookInput,
     PostToolUseHookOutput,
 } from "../../src/index.js";
+import { approveAll } from "../../src/index.js";
 import { createSdkTestContext } from "./harness/sdkTestContext.js";
 
 describe("Session hooks", async () => {
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ describe("Session hooks", async () => {
         const preToolUseInputs: PreToolUseHookInput[] = [];
 
         const session = await client.createSession({
+            onPermissionRequest: approveAll,
             hooks: {
                 onPreToolUse: async (input, invocation) => {
                     preToolUseInputs.push(input);
@@ -50,6 +52,7 @@ describe("Session hooks", async () => {
         const postToolUseInputs: PostToolUseHookInput[] = [];
 
         const session = await client.createSession({
+            onPermissionRequest: approveAll,
             hooks: {
                 onPostToolUse: async (input, invocation) => {
                     postToolUseInputs.push(input);
@@ -81,6 +84,7 @@ describe("Session hooks", async () => {
         const postToolUseInputs: PostToolUseHookInput[] = [];
 
         const session = await client.createSession({
+            onPermissionRequest: approveAll,
             hooks: {
                 onPreToolUse: async (input) => {
                     preToolUseInputs.push(input);

nodejs/test/e2e/mcp_and_agents.test.ts

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { dirname, resolve } from "path";
 import { fileURLToPath } from "url";
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import type { CustomAgentConfig, MCPLocalServerConfig, MCPServerConfig } from "../../src/index.js";
+import { approveAll } from "../../src/index.js";
 import { createSdkTestContext } from "./harness/sdkTestContext.js";
 
 const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ describe("MCP Servers and Custom Agents", async () => {
 
             const session = await client.createSession({
                 mcpServers,
+                onPermissionRequest: approveAll,
             });
 
             expect(session.sessionId).toBeDefined();