GitHub Copilot has added session continuity and an Agent Host layer to VS Code, allowing a single Copilot session to be accessed from VS Code, the GitHub Copilot app, GitHub Mobile, the web UI, the CLI, and even Slack or Teams direct messages. The update also lets agents run on remote machines via SSH or dev tunnels, and introduces preview features for multi‑model comparison, desktop‑app interaction, and custom client integration.
Session continuity across clients
Developers can now start a cloud‑based Copilot agent from any supported client and later resume the same session from another client. The session persists in the cloud, so closing a laptop or switching to a phone does not interrupt the work. Continuity also extends to sessions launched from Slack or Microsoft Teams direct messages.
Agent Host isolation and remote execution
The new Agent Host decouples Copilot sessions from individual VS Code windows. A session continues after the associated project folder or window is closed, and the host can run on a separate machine. Remote execution leverages VS Code’s Remote SSH and dev‑tunnel capabilities, meaning the remote machine must stay powered on and the Agent Host process must remain active. To start a host on a development box, run code agent host --github-environment from the project directory.
Preview capabilities that affect workflow
- Multi‑model harnesses: The Agents window can run several models in parallel, display results side‑by‑side, and optionally invoke a Judge model to recommend a solution.
- Computer use: On macOS and Windows, agents can interact with desktop applications after enabling
chat.agentHost.computerUse.enabled. Each interaction requires explicit user approval, and the feature can be disabled by enterprise policy. - Open Agent Host Protocol (AHP): Developers can build custom clients in TypeScript, Rust, Go, Kotlin, or Swift that connect to an Agent Host and share live sessions.
- Customization Marketplace: A preview marketplace aggregates skills, MCP servers, plugins, and other extensions, controllable via VS Code policies or repository‑level
.github/copilot/settings.jsonfiles. - Connectors: Preview connectors let agents pull context from services such as Slack, Notion, and Microsoft Learn without running a dedicated MCP server.
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What This Means For Practitioners
Engineers should evaluate whether keeping an always‑on host aligns with their cost and availability models, and ensure that remote machines are secured and monitored. Policy teams need to review the new plugin and marketplace controls to enforce approved extensions, especially when enabling computer‑use or connectors that may introduce external data flows. Because many of these features are in preview, teams should test them in non‑production environments before adopting them broadly, and track upcoming GA announcements for any changes to default behavior or security posture.
