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require-valid-agent-hook-timeouts

Require Copilot custom-agent hook timeout values to be numeric seconds when present.

Rule catalog ID: R016

Targeted pattern scope​

  • .github/agents/**/*.agent.md

What this rule reports​

  • agent-scoped hook entries whose timeout value is present but not numeric

Why this rule exists​

VS Code hook documentation defines timeout as a numeric value in seconds. Keeping hook timeout metadata numeric avoids ambiguous strings and keeps custom-agent hook frontmatter aligned with the documented hook command format.

❌ Incorrect​

---
description: Format files after editing
hooks:
  PostToolUse:
    - type: command
      command: ./scripts/format.sh
      timeout: soon
---
Format edited files after tool usage.

✅ Correct​

---
description: Format files after editing
hooks:
  PostToolUse:
    - type: command
      command: ./scripts/format.sh
      timeout: 15
---
Format edited files after tool usage.

Further reading​