Completely remove timeout_minutes - use codemod to migrate

[Copilot]

The main workflow schema defined both timeout-minutes and timeout_minutes as separate properties. This created schema pollution and unnecessary API surface for the same functionality.

Per feedback, timeout_minutes has been completely removed from both schema and runtime. Users can migrate their workflows using the existing timeout-minutes-migration codemod.

Changes

Schema cleanup

• Removed timeout_minutes from pkg/parser/schemas/main_workflow_schema.json
• Canonical timeout-minutes remains as the only schema-defined field
• Workflows using timeout_minutes now fail validation with "additional properties not allowed"

Runtime removal

• Removed fallback handling in compiler_orchestrator_workflow.go (no longer checks for timeout_minutes)
• Removed dual prefix handling in claude_engine.go and copilot_engine_execution.go
• Fixed default in tools.go to use timeout-minutes instead of timeout_minutes
• Updated comment in jobs.go to reference timeout-minutes

Test updates

• Removed pkg/workflow/timeout_minutes_test.go (obsolete test file)
• Removed deprecated field test cases
• Updated schema tests to verify field is rejected
• Fixed test cases that incorrectly used timeout_minutes

Migration Path

Users with existing workflows using timeout_minutes should run:

gh aw fix

The timeout-minutes-migration codemod will automatically convert timeout_minutes to timeout-minutes while preserving comments and formatting.

Behavior

Workflows using timeout_minutes will now fail validation:

---
timeout_minutes: 45  # ❌ Error: additional properties 'timeout_minutes' not allowed
engine: copilot
---

Use the canonical form instead:

---
timeout-minutes: 45  # ✅ Correct
engine: copilot
---

Original prompt

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This section details on the original issue you should resolve

<issue_title>[Code Quality] Remove duplicate timeout_minutes from schema (keep only timeout-minutes)</issue_title>
<issue_description>### Description

The main workflow schema defines both timeout-minutes and timeout_minutes as separate top-level properties, causing schema pollution and potential confusion. The runtime handles both for backwards compatibility, but the schema should only expose the canonical hyphenated form.

Problem

Schema Location: pkg/parser/schemas/main_workflow_schema.json

Currently defines:

{
  "properties": {
    "timeout-minutes": { ... },
    "timeout_minutes": { ... }  // ← Duplicate to remove
  }
}

Runtime: pkg/workflow/compiler_orchestrator_workflow.go:149-151 supports both field names for backwards compatibility (this is acceptable).

Impact

• Schema Pollution: Two fields for the same concept
• User Confusion: Users may not know which to use
• Documentation Burden: Must explain both variants
• API Surface: Unnecessarily large API

Suggested Changes

1. Remove timeout_minutes from schema - Keep only timeout-minutes for consistency with GitHub Actions conventions
2. Keep runtime support - Continue accepting both for backwards compatibility
3. Update documentation - Add migration note explaining the dual support

Files to modify:

• pkg/parser/schemas/main_workflow_schema.json - Remove timeout_minutes property
• Documentation (if any) - Add note about backwards compatibility

Success Criteria

• Schema only defines timeout-minutes (hyphenated form)
• Runtime continues to accept both timeout-minutes and timeout_minutes
• All existing workflows continue to work without changes
• Schema validation passes
• Unit tests confirm both forms are accepted at runtime

Source

Extracted from Schema Consistency: Runtime Behavior vs Schema Contracts

Finding: Critical Issue #1 - Dual Field Names

Priority

Medium - Affects API clarity and schema consistency, but not blocking functionality.

Estimated Effort

1 day (including schema updates, testing, and documentation)

AI generated by Discussion Task Miner - Code Quality Improvement Agent

• expires on Feb 13, 2026, 5:22 AM UTC

Comments on the Issue (you are @copilot in this section)

• Fixes [Code Quality] Remove duplicate timeout_minutes from schema (keep only timeout-minutes) #12677

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[pelikhan]

@copilot completely remote timeout_minutes, there is a codemod

[Copilot]

@copilot completely remote timeout_minutes, there is a codemod

Done! Completely removed timeout_minutes support from both schema and runtime. Users can migrate their workflows using gh aw fix which runs the timeout-minutes-migration codemod.

Changes in commit 4a26aa3:

• Removed runtime fallback handling
• Removed deprecated field test file
• Updated tests to verify field is rejected
• Workflows using timeout_minutes now fail with "additional properties not allowed" error