[nodejs] Ignore cliPath if cliUrl is set (#787)

* Don't pass cliPath to client if cliUrl was provided

* Add cliPath option and validate it at runtime

Include an optional cliPath in the client options type and update the Omit<> to account for it. Simplify the default assignment for cliPath (use cliUrl to disable, otherwise use provided cliPath or bundled fallback). Add a runtime check that throws a clear error if cliPath is not available before trying to access the file system, ensuring users provide a local CLI path or use cliUrl.

* Add test: cliPath undefined when cliUrl set

Add a unit test to nodejs/test/client.test.ts that verifies CopilotClient does not resolve or set options.cliPath when instantiated with a cliUrl. This ensures providing a remote CLI URL doesn't trigger resolution of a local CLI path.

Author: sergiou87

nodejs/src/client.ts

@@ -141,8 +141,12 @@ export class CopilotClient {
     private sessions: Map<string, CopilotSession> = new Map();
     private stderrBuffer: string = ""; // Captures CLI stderr for error messages
     private options: Required<
-        Omit<CopilotClientOptions, "cliUrl" | "githubToken" | "useLoggedInUser" | "onListModels">
+        Omit<
+            CopilotClientOptions,
+            "cliPath" | "cliUrl" | "githubToken" | "useLoggedInUser" | "onListModels"
+        >
     > & {
+        cliPath?: string;
         cliUrl?: string;
         githubToken?: string;
         useLoggedInUser?: boolean;
@@ -230,7 +234,7 @@ export class CopilotClient {
         this.onListModels = options.onListModels;
 
         this.options = {
-            cliPath: options.cliPath || getBundledCliPath(),
+            cliPath: options.cliUrl ? undefined : options.cliPath || getBundledCliPath(),
             cliArgs: options.cliArgs ?? [],
             cwd: options.cwd ?? process.cwd(),
             port: options.port || 0,
@@ -1135,6 +1139,12 @@ export class CopilotClient {
                 envWithoutNodeDebug.COPILOT_SDK_AUTH_TOKEN = this.options.githubToken;
             }
 
+            if (!this.options.cliPath) {
+                throw new Error(
+                    "Path to Copilot CLI is required. Please provide it via the cliPath option, or use cliUrl to rely on a remote CLI."
+                );
+            }
+
             // Verify CLI exists before attempting to spawn
             if (!existsSync(this.options.cliPath)) {
                 throw new Error(

nodejs/test/client.test.ts

@@ -210,6 +210,15 @@ describe("CopilotClient", () => {
 
             expect((client as any).isExternalServer).toBe(true);
         });
+
+        it("should not resolve cliPath when cliUrl is provided", () => {
+            const client = new CopilotClient({
+                cliUrl: "localhost:8080",
+                logLevel: "error",
+            });
+
+            expect(client["options"].cliPath).toBeUndefined();
+        });
     });
 
     describe("Auth options", () => {