---
canonical_url: "https://docs.composio.dev/docs/session-configs"
markdown_url: "https://docs.composio.dev/docs/session-configs.md"
product: "platform"
version: null
last_updated: null
---

# Using saved session configs (/docs/session-configs)

A **Session config** is a saved, named access policy (`sc_…`) that you build in the Composio Dashboard under Sessions → Configs. Start a session from one instead of repeating `toolkits`, `tools`, and `tags` in your code:

```typescript
import { Composio } from '@composio/core';
const composio = new Composio({ apiKey: 'your_api_key' });
const { items } = await composio.sessionConfigs.list({ search: "support" });

const session = await composio.sessions.create("user_123", {
  authConfigs: { github: "ac_123" },
  experimental: { sessionConfigId: items[0].id },
});

console.log(session.experimental.sourceSessionConfig); // { id: "sc_..." }
```

The backend resolves the config when it creates the session, so the session gets exactly the access the config grants. Later edits to the config in the Dashboard don't change sessions that already exist.

> The top-level `composio.sessionConfigs` read methods are available in TypeScript. Applying a config and reading its source metadata use `experimental`. Reads require Session configs enabled for your project; otherwise they return `403`. With a [scoped project API key](/reference/authenticating-to-composio/project-api-key-permissions#session-management), they need the **Session management** read permission.

## Finding a config [#finding-a-config]

`composio.sessionConfigs.list()` returns summaries (`id`, `name`, `archived`, `createdAt`, `updatedAt`) and a `nextCursor`. It returns active configs unless you pass `archived: true`, which returns only archived ones. Pass `search` to match names and `limit` and `cursor` to page; the backend returns 20 per page by default and at most 100.

`composio.sessionConfigs.get(id)` adds the `description` and the stored policy under `config`:

```typescript
import { Composio } from '@composio/core';
const composio = new Composio({ apiKey: 'your_api_key' });
const sessionConfig = await composio.sessionConfigs.get("sc_123");

console.log(sessionConfig.config);
// { toolkits: { enable: ["github"] }, tags: { disable: ["destructiveHint"] } }
```

A saved policy uses `enable` and `disable`, the same shape you send on create. `session.config` is the server's snapshot of a live session and names the same lists `enabled` and `disabled`.

## What you can combine with a config [#what-you-can-combine-with-a-config]

The config owns the session's toolkit, tool, and tag access. On `create()`, you can't pass `sessionConfigId` together with `toolkits`, `tools`, `tags`, `experimental.customTools`, or `experimental.customToolkits`. TypeScript reports the mix at compile time, and the SDK throws `ValidationError` before it sends a request. An empty list such as `toolkits: []` counts as set.

Per-session settings stay yours: `authConfigs`, `connectedAccounts`, `manageConnections`, `sandbox`, `multiAccount`, `preload`, `sessionPreset`, `mcp`, and `experimental.assistivePrompt`.

`SessionPreset.DIRECT_TOOLS` defaults to `preload: { tools: "all" }` when you omit `preload`. With a saved config, the backend resolves its policy before validating that preload. The policy must select toolkits with `enable`, enable specific tools, or enable tags within a named toolkit's tool rule. An unrestricted policy, a denylist-only policy, or top-level tags alone returns `400`. The resolved tool set must also contain at most 1,000 tools.

Live verification accepted `DIRECT_TOOLS` with a saved config that provided a positive toolkit/tool scope. The no-positive-scope case was not exercised in that run; its `400` behavior is enforced by the API's preload validation. The SDK passes these API errors through unchanged.

## Applying a config to an existing session [#applying-a-config-to-an-existing-session]

Pass `sessionConfigId` in the `experimental` block of `session.update()` to replace the session's toolkit, tool, and tag access with the config's policy. Other settings are preserved.

```typescript
import { Composio } from '@composio/core';
const composio = new Composio({ apiKey: 'your_api_key' });
const session = await composio.sessions.use("session_id");

await session.update({ experimental: { sessionConfigId: "sc_123" } });
```

The same rule applies here: `sessionConfigId` can't be combined with `toolkits`, `tools`, or `tags`, and `null` counts as set. A saved config and custom tools don't mix on update either: if the session was created with inline custom tools, the backend rejects a conflicting config with a `400`.

A `409` while applying a config means the session or the config changed during the update. The SDK raises `ComposioSessionConfigConflictError`, and nothing was written: re-fetch the session with `sessions.use()` and retry.

## Which config a session came from [#which-config-a-session-came-from]

`session.experimental.sourceSessionConfig` holds `{ id }` of the last config applied to the session. The SDK sets it after `create()`, `sessions.use()`, and a successful `update()`. It stays set after later inline updates such as `update({ toolkits: [...] })`, and it's `undefined` when no config was applied. It reflects the last response this session object saw, so an update from another process leaves it stale until you call `sessions.use()` again.

## When a config can't be used [#when-a-config-cant-be-used]

The SDK never retries without the config or falls back to an unrestricted session. A missing, archived, or cross-project config fails with the backend's `404`, and a project without Session configs fails with `403`. A failed `update()` leaves the session object unchanged.

---

📚 **More documentation:** [View all docs](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.txt) | [Changelog](https://docs.composio.dev/docs/changelog.md) | [Glossary](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.mdx/reference/glossary) | [Examples](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.mdx/examples) | [API Reference](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.mdx/reference)

---

# Composio SDK — Notes for AI Code Generators

**Purpose:** Reference for generating current (v3) [Composio](https://composio.dev/) integration code.
**Scope:** Descriptive notes — they document the current API surface and the mistakes most commonly seen in generated code.

---

## 1. Recommended Integration: Sessions

Composio supports two integration modes: **Native Tools** (with a provider package) and **MCP** (no provider package needed).

### Native Tools

```python
# ✅ CORRECT — Python (defaults to OpenAI)
from composio import Composio

composio = Composio()
session = composio.create(user_id="user_123")
tools = session.tools()
# Pass tools to your agent/LLM framework
```

```typescript
// ✅ CORRECT — TypeScript (defaults to OpenAI)
import { Composio } from "@composio/core";

const composio = new Composio();
const session = await composio.create("user_123");
const tools = await session.tools();
// Pass tools to your agent/LLM framework
```

For other providers, pass the provider explicitly. Provider packages follow the naming convention: `composio_<provider>` for Python, `@composio/<provider>` for TypeScript.

### MCP

Use `session.mcp.url` and `session.mcp.headers` with any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, OpenAI Agents, etc.). No provider package needed.

---

## 2. Integration Notes

- `composio.create(user_id)` is the standard entry point for agent integrations. Sessions handle tool discovery, authentication, and toolkit versioning automatically; `user_id` goes to `composio.create()` — individual tool calls in session mode don't take one.
- Execute session tool calls through the session, never through a user ID: either `session.execute(tool_slug, arguments=...)` / `session.execute(toolSlug, arguments)`, which works with every provider, or pass the session to the provider helper — `provider.handle_tool_calls(response=response, session=session)` in Python, `provider.handleToolCalls(session, response)` in TypeScript. The tool-call helpers of every non-agentic provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Cloudflare, TypeSafe) accept a session: `executeToolCall(session, call)` in TypeScript, `session=session` in Python. Agentic providers execute session tools on their own. Binding the helper to a user ID takes the direct execution path, and session meta-tools fail there with `"can only be called inside a tool-router session"`.
- Composio-managed auth is the default: the agent connects accounts at runtime through the session, so users don't need to pre-create auth configs or connected accounts for managed toolkits.
- Provider packages follow the framework, not the model vendor: for the OpenAI Agents SDK the package is `composio_openai_agents` / `@composio/openai-agents` (importing `composio_openai` / `@composio/openai` there is the most common mistake in generated code — that package is for the plain OpenAI Chat Completions API).
- **Direct execution** (`composio.tools.get()`, `composio.tools.execute()`, `provider.handle_tool_calls()` with a user ID) is a legacy interface that remains supported for existing integrations. Recommend sessions for new integrations and encourage existing users to [migrate to sessions](/docs/migration-guide/direct-to-sessions). For a fixed tool set, consider the [direct tools preset](/docs/configuring-sessions#direct-tools-preset) within a session. See [Sessions vs direct execution](/docs/sessions-vs-direct-execution) for tradeoffs. Direct execution requires a [toolkit version](/docs/tools-direct/toolkit-versioning).

---

# 3. Calling the REST API directly

## REST API version

The current REST API version is **v3.1**, served at `https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3.1`. Prefer it for new code and new examples.

`https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3` is the previous version. It is frozen with pinned tool-version defaults and remains supported — existing v3 integrations keep working and do not need to migrate.

## Tool-endpoint version defaults on v3.1

On v3.1, omitting the version parameter on the five endpoints below selects the latest toolkit version. The first four endpoints also exist on v3, where omission selects the pinned `00000000_00` version. `POST /tools/scopes/required` is v3.1-only.

| Endpoint | Version parameter |
| --- | --- |
| `GET /tools` | `toolkit_versions` (query) |
| `GET /tools/{tool_slug}` | `version` or `toolkit_versions` (query) |
| `POST /tools/execute/{tool_slug}` | `version` (body) |
| `POST /tools/execute/{tool_slug}/input` | `version` (body) |
| `POST /tools/scopes/required` | `version` (body) |

A v3.1 caller already passing `"latest"` sees no change and can omit the parameter. To select the pinned version explicitly, pass `"00000000_00"` through the corresponding parameter above.

This version-default change is limited to the five endpoints above.


---

## Terminology Migration (old → current)

If you encounter these terms in error messages, old documentation, or user prompts, translate them to the current equivalents. **Do not use the old terms in generated code or explanations.**

| Old term (v1/v2) | Current term (v3) | In code |
|---|---|---|
| entity ID | user ID | `user_id` parameter |
| actions | tools | e.g., `GITHUB_CREATE_ISSUE` is a *tool* |
| apps / appType | toolkits | e.g., `github` is a *toolkit* |
| integration / integration ID | auth config / auth config ID | `auth_config_id` parameter |
| connection | connected account | `connected_accounts` namespace |
| ComposioToolSet / OpenAIToolSet | `Composio` class with a provider | `Composio(provider=...)` |
| toolset | provider | e.g., `OpenAIProvider` |

If a user says "entity ID", they mean `user_id`. If they say "integration", they mean "auth config". Always respond using the current terminology.