Add session.setModel() for mid-session model switching (#621)

* Add session.setModel() across all 4 languages

Allows changing the model mid-session without destroying it.
The new model takes effect for the next message while preserving
conversation history.

Node.js:  session.setModel(model: string): Promise<void>
Python:   session.set_model(model: str) -> None
Go:       session.SetModel(ctx, model string) error
.NET:     session.SetModelAsync(model, cancellationToken): Task

All send the 'session.setModel' JSON-RPC method with
{ sessionId, model } params.

Tests added for all 4 languages:
- Node.js: mocked sendRequest verifies correct RPC params (25/25 pass)
- Python:  mocked request verifies sessionId + model (unit test)
- Go:      JSON marshaling test for request type (pass)
- .NET:    e2e test creating session, calling SetModelAsync

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

* Refactor setModel to be thin wrappers around session.Rpc.Model.SwitchTo()

Co-authored-by: SteveSandersonMS <1101362+SteveSandersonMS@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix ESLint error, update .NET test to verify model_change event, add skipped Go test

Co-authored-by: SteveSandersonMS <1101362+SteveSandersonMS@users.noreply.github.com>

* Fix Prettier formatting in client.test.ts

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: copilot-swe-agent[bot] <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: SteveSandersonMS <1101362+SteveSandersonMS@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Steve Sanderson <SteveSandersonMS@users.noreply.github.com>

Author: 4 people

dotnet/src/Session.cs

@@ -507,6 +507,22 @@ await InvokeRpcAsync<object>(
             "session.abort", [new SessionAbortRequest { SessionId = SessionId }], cancellationToken);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Changes the model for this session.
+    /// The new model takes effect for the next message. Conversation history is preserved.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="model">Model ID to switch to (e.g., "gpt-4.1").</param>
+    /// <param name="cancellationToken">Optional cancellation token.</param>
+    /// <example>
+    /// <code>
+    /// await session.SetModelAsync("gpt-4.1");
+    /// </code>
+    /// </example>
+    public async Task SetModelAsync(string model, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
+    {
+        await Rpc.Model.SwitchToAsync(model, cancellationToken);
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Disposes the <see cref="CopilotSession"/> and releases all associated resources.
     /// </summary>

dotnet/test/SessionTests.cs

@@ -441,4 +441,19 @@ public async Task Should_Create_Session_With_Custom_Config_Dir()
         Assert.NotNull(assistantMessage);
         Assert.Contains("2", assistantMessage!.Data.Content);
     }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Should_Set_Model_On_Existing_Session()
+    {
+        var session = await CreateSessionAsync();
+
+        // Subscribe for the model change event before calling SetModelAsync
+        var modelChangedTask = TestHelper.GetNextEventOfTypeAsync<SessionModelChangeEvent>(session);
+
+        await session.SetModelAsync("gpt-4.1");
+
+        // Verify a model_change event was emitted with the new model
+        var modelChanged = await modelChangedTask;
+        Assert.Equal("gpt-4.1", modelChanged.Data.NewModel);
+    }
 }

go/internal/e2e/rpc_test.go

@@ -189,6 +189,23 @@ func TestSessionRpc(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 
+	// session.model.switchTo is defined in schema but not yet implemented in CLI
+	t.Run("should call session.SetModel", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Skip("session.model.switchTo not yet implemented in CLI")
+
+		session, err := client.CreateSession(t.Context(), &copilot.SessionConfig{
+			OnPermissionRequest: copilot.PermissionHandler.ApproveAll,
+			Model:               "claude-sonnet-4.5",
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to create session: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		if err := session.SetModel(t.Context(), "gpt-4.1"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("SetModel returned error: %v", err)
+		}
+	})
+
 	t.Run("should get and set session mode", func(t *testing.T) {
 		session, err := client.CreateSession(t.Context(), &copilot.SessionConfig{OnPermissionRequest: copilot.PermissionHandler.ApproveAll})
 		if err != nil {

go/session.go

@@ -576,3 +576,20 @@ func (s *Session) Abort(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// SetModel changes the model for this session.
+// The new model takes effect for the next message. Conversation history is preserved.
+//
+// Example:
+//
+//	if err := session.SetModel(context.Background(), "gpt-4.1"); err != nil {
+//	    log.Printf("Failed to set model: %v", err)
+//	}
+func (s *Session) SetModel(ctx context.Context, model string) error {
+	_, err := s.RPC.Model.SwitchTo(ctx, &rpc.SessionModelSwitchToParams{ModelID: model})
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to set model: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}

nodejs/src/session.ts

@@ -549,4 +549,19 @@ export class CopilotSession {
             sessionId: this.sessionId,
         });
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Change the model for this session.
+     * The new model takes effect for the next message. Conversation history is preserved.
+     *
+     * @param model - Model ID to switch to
+     *
+     * @example
+     * ```typescript
+     * await session.setModel("gpt-4.1");
+     * ```
+     */
+    async setModel(model: string): Promise<void> {
+        await this.rpc.model.switchTo({ modelId: model });
+    }
 }

nodejs/test/client.test.ts

@@ -80,6 +80,32 @@ describe("CopilotClient", () => {
         );
     });
 
+    it("sends session.model.switchTo RPC with correct params", async () => {
+        const client = new CopilotClient();
+        await client.start();
+        onTestFinished(() => client.forceStop());
+
+        const session = await client.createSession({ onPermissionRequest: approveAll });
+
+        // Mock sendRequest to capture the call without hitting the runtime
+        const spy = vi
+            .spyOn((client as any).connection!, "sendRequest")
+            .mockImplementation(async (method: string, _params: any) => {
+                if (method === "session.model.switchTo") return {};
+                // Fall through for other methods (shouldn't be called)
+                throw new Error(`Unexpected method: ${method}`);
+            });
+
+        await session.setModel("gpt-4.1");
+
+        expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith("session.model.switchTo", {
+            sessionId: session.sessionId,
+            modelId: "gpt-4.1",
+        });
+
+        spy.mockRestore();
+    });
+
     describe("URL parsing", () => {
         it("should parse port-only URL format", () => {
             const client = new CopilotClient({

python/copilot/session.py

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from typing import Any, cast
 
-from .generated.rpc import SessionRpc
+from .generated.rpc import SessionModelSwitchToParams, SessionRpc
 from .generated.session_events import SessionEvent, SessionEventType, session_event_from_dict
 from .types import (
     MessageOptions,
@@ -520,3 +520,21 @@ async def abort(self) -> None:
             >>> await session.abort()
         """
         await self._client.request("session.abort", {"sessionId": self.session_id})
+
+    async def set_model(self, model: str) -> None:
+        """
+        Change the model for this session.
+
+        The new model takes effect for the next message. Conversation history
+        is preserved.
+
+        Args:
+            model: Model ID to switch to (e.g., "gpt-4.1", "claude-sonnet-4").
+
+        Raises:
+            Exception: If the session has been destroyed or the connection fails.
+
+        Example:
+            >>> await session.set_model("gpt-4.1")
+        """
+        await self.rpc.model.switch_to(SessionModelSwitchToParams(model_id=model))

python/test_client.py

@@ -226,3 +226,29 @@ async def mock_request(method, params):
             assert captured["session.resume"]["clientName"] == "my-app"
         finally:
             await client.force_stop()
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_set_model_sends_correct_rpc(self):
+        client = CopilotClient({"cli_path": CLI_PATH})
+        await client.start()
+
+        try:
+            session = await client.create_session(
+                {"on_permission_request": PermissionHandler.approve_all}
+            )
+
+            captured = {}
+            original_request = client._client.request
+
+            async def mock_request(method, params):
+                captured[method] = params
+                if method == "session.model.switchTo":
+                    return {}
+                return await original_request(method, params)
+
+            client._client.request = mock_request
+            await session.set_model("gpt-4.1")
+            assert captured["session.model.switchTo"]["sessionId"] == session.session_id
+            assert captured["session.model.switchTo"]["modelId"] == "gpt-4.1"
+        finally:
+            await client.force_stop()