🐛 Bug: Check for updates is happening when i do not want it to

[williamohara]

♻️ Reproduction Steps

I can not have a call to this endpoint https://api.cloud.copilotkit.ai/check-for-updates

It looks like in the library that you may have wanted this check to not happen with dev console is fales
I have my wrapper component set up like this

<CopilotKit runtimeUrl="/app/api/.ba/copilotkit" agent="tallya" showDevConsole={false}>

but it is still trying to call that endpoint - is it nessesary.

right now it is down- do i am getting a bunch of 500 errors in my browser in production

and when i am dev mode i get this mess as i am coding

✅ Expected Behavior

i expect to have a flag that will disallow such a check when i do not want it to (i am thinking that is should be dev console set to false)

The endpoint should work if i do want to check - but it should only check in dev mode not in production

❌ Actual Behavior

I am getting 502 errors in production

i am getting a bad developer experience (the next js errors)

𝌚 CopilotKit Version

├── @copilotkit/react-core@1.10.6
├── @copilotkit/react-ui@1.10.6
├── @copilotkit/runtime@1.10.6
├── @copilotkit/sdk-js@1.10.6

📄 Logs (Optional)

[copilotkit-support-bot]

The issue describes the CopilotKit library making update check calls to https://api.cloud.copilotkit.ai/check-for-updates even when showDevConsole={false} and in production environments. Based on codebase analysis, the update check is tied to the dev console and requires the console to be open (not just the trigger to be present).

Details

The issue describes the CopilotKit library making update check calls to https://api.cloud.copilotkit.ai/check-for-updates even when showDevConsole={false} and in production environments. Based on codebase analysis, the update check is tied to the dev console and requires the console to be open (not just the trigger to be present). However, the behavior depends on how the prop is handled. Here's a detailed breakdown with investigation findings, solutions, and references.

Investigation Summary

• Trigger Location: The update check is initiated in the DevConsole component (console.tsx in @copilotkit/react-ui), specifically via a useEffect hook that calls getPublishedCopilotKitVersion from the shared utils. This happens when the console dialog is opened (e.g., clicked via the trigger button). If the console trigger is not rendered or the dialog is never opened, the endpoint is not called.
• Dev Console Rendering: The ConsoleTrigger component (which shows the trigger button) is conditionally rendered only if dev console display is enabled. It uses shouldShowDevConsole(showDevConsole), which:
  • Uses the showDevConsole prop if explicitly set.
  • Defaults to true only on localhost (development). In production (non-localhost), it defaults to false unless overridden.
• Tied to Dev Console: Yes, the update check is directly tied to dev console visibility and interaction. It does not run independently of the console. The endpoint call occurs only inside the console's render logic when the dialog opens.
• Versions Analyzed: You mentioned @copilotkit/react-core@1.10.6, @copilotkit/react-ui@1.10.6, @copilotkit/runtime@1.10.6, and @copilotkit/sdk-js@1.10.6. The dev console and update check were introduced in 1.10.0. Prior to this, no dev console existed, so no update checks occurred. If you're seeing the call in 1.10.6, it may be due to the dialog being opened accidentally or cached state, but the code ensures it's tied to console interaction.
• Potential Issue: If the call happens despite showDevConsole={false}, it could be due to:
  • Improper prop passing (e.g., showDevConsole is undefined, defaulting to localhost check).
  • Console being opened intentionally or via development tools.
  • Cached state or side effects from earlier versions (changelog in 1.10.2 showed some console visibility adjustments).
  • No forced endpoint call outside the console; it's strictly within the dialog's useEffect.

If you're still seeing the call in strict production with the prop set to false, it may indicate a caching issue or that the console is being opened separately—please provide more context (e.g., browser network logs).

How to Disable Update Checks

Set the showDevConsole prop to false on the CopilotKit provider. This prevents rendering the ConsoleTrigger, ensuring the console dialog (and thus the update check) cannot be accessed. In production (non-localhost), it's automatically false unless overridden.

No environment variables exist for this—it's controlled via the React prop.

Example Usage

Wrap your app with CopilotKit and explicitly set the prop:

import { CopilotKit } from "@copilotkit/react-core";

export default function App() {
  return (
    <CopilotKit showDevConsole={false}>
      {/* Your app content */}
    </CopilotKit>
  );
}

• Why This Works: The provider conditionally renders <ConsoleTrigger /> only when the dev console is enabled. The update check is inside the console component, so disabling the console prevents the call entirely.
• Production Default: Without setting the prop, shouldShowDevConsole returns true on localhost and false elsewhere, so no changes are needed in production.
• Additional Safeguard: If needed, you can memoize or conditionally wrap the provider to ensure showDevConsole is always false.

If the Issue Persists (Troubleshooting)

• Clear Local Storage/Cache: The console uses localStorage for state (e.g., cpk:inspector:hidden). Clear it to prevent rogue opens: localStorage.removeItem('cpk:inspector:hidden');.
• Check Prop Flow: Ensure showDevConsole={false} is passed correctly to the CopilotKit component. Inspect the DOM for hidden trigger elements.
• Version Behavior Changes:
  • < 1.10.0: No dev console or update checks existed.
  • 1.10.0: Dev console added; update check tied to console opening.
  • 1.10.2: Adjustments to console visibility (potential edge cases fixed).
  • 1.10.5: Console trigger toggle added, but no change to update logic.
  • 1.10.6: Current version; no changes to update check tied to console.
• Forcibly Disable: Override getPublishedCopilotKitVersion if extending the console (not recommended), but the prop-based approach suffices.

If you need to customize the console behavior further, refer to the CopilotKit docs for showDevConsole.

Code Snippets and References

• Update Check Function (src/components/dev-console/utils.ts in @copilotkit/react-ui):

  export async function getPublishedCopilotKitVersion(
    current: string,
    forceCheck: boolean = false,
  ): Promise<{ latest: string }> {
    // Calls the API endpoint internally
    // Code omitted for brevity; see full file for API fetch logic
  }

• Console Component Hook (src/components/dev-console/console.tsx in @copilotkit/react-ui):

  useEffect(() => {
    if (!latestVersion.current) {
      setVersionStatus("checking");
      getPublishedCopilotKitVersion(currentVersion, force)
        .then((v) => {
          setLatestVersion(v.latest);
          // ...
        })
        .catch(() => {
          setVersionStatus("error");
        });
    }
  }, [currentVersion, force]);  // Runs on mount/open of console

• Provider Rendering Logic (src/components/copilot-provider/copilotkit.tsx in @copilotkit/react-core):

  {showDevConsole && <ConsoleTrigger />}

• Visibility Check (src/utils/dev-console.ts in @copilotkit/react-core):

  export function shouldShowDevConsole(showDevConsole?: boolean): boolean {
    if (showDevConsole !== undefined) {
      return showDevConsole;  // Uses prop
    }
    return isLocalhost();  // Defaults to localhost only
  }

Documentation References

• CopilotKit Reference for CopilotKit Provider — Covers showDevConsole prop.
• CopilotKit Changelog — Details version changes, e.g., 1.10.0 dev console addition.

Confidence Level: High (based on direct code analysis; matches reported behavior if prop isn't set correctly). If additional logs or versions are provided, I can investigate further for medium confidence.

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[copilotkit-support-bot]

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[williamohara]

the fix seems to be strait forward from what i am looking at - but i am not sure the intent as i did not dive too deeply into the code - if your intent is to not do the version check when the showDevConole flag is set to false - just let me know and i will pull together a PR for you to review