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Is it recommended to shutdown context on participa...
# ask-ai
c
Is it recommended to shutdown context on participant disconnected? What if the participant is disconeected for a few ms and then reconnected?
t
Thanks for reaching out, Yousri. I'm an AI assistant and I'm here to help. Give me a moment while I research this topic.
Thanks — I'll answer the part about shutting down context when a participant disconnects, and the case where the disconnect is only for a few milliseconds. Short answer • It is not recommended to immediately call 
ctx.shutdown()
(or otherwise tear down the session) on every participant disconnect if you expect brief reconnects. • Instead, allow the session to persist through short network blips by disabling automatic close-on-disconnect and/or using a short reconnection grace period before shutting down. Why • If you shut down the context immediately, all I/O is closed and post‑shutdown cleanup begins; the session cannot be recovered if the participant reconnects. • Letting the session stay alive for a short time avoids unnecessary reinitialization and preserves state (agent session, buffers, etc.) for quick reconnects. Practical options you can use • Disable auto-close on disconnect: ◦ Use the 
close_on_disconnect
option (e.g., set 
close_on_disconnect=False
in Room options). This prevents the AgentSession from automatically closing when the linked participant leaves. • Implement a reconnection grace period: a. On disconnect, start a short timer (for example, a few seconds — tune to your app's needs). b. If the participant reconnects before the timer expires, cancel shutdown and continue the session. c. If the timer expires without reconnection, call 
ctx.shutdown()
and run your cleanup. • If you prefer server-driven behavior, make the grace window configurable per room/session so different flows can use different timeouts. What I can help with next • Suggest a default grace period length based on your use case (low-latency calls vs longer interactive sessions). • Show sample code for using 
close_on_disconnect
and implementing a reconnection timer in your language (Node.js or Python). • Review your current shutdown/reconnect logic and recommend adjustments. Would you like a code example for implementing the reconnection grace period in Node.js or Python? Sources: Agent session | LiveKit Documentation | Job lifecycle | LiveKit Documentation, with interactive elements
c
IS there another safer event to listen to, to shutown context rather than implementing custom timer for grace period? I want a livekit built in solution
t
Thanks — you're asking whether LiveKit provides a built‑in, safer event you can listen to to shut down the context (so you don't have to roll your own reconnection timer). Short answer • There is no single built‑in “graceful disconnect” event that automatically waits for a reconnect before shutting down the session. • The safest built‑in approach is to disable automatic close-on-disconnect (set 
close_on_disconnect=False
) and then use the participant/connection state events LiveKit emits to decide when to shut down. Recommended approach using LiveKit events • Disable automatic closure: ◦ Set 
close_on_disconnect=False
so the AgentSession does not automatically close when the participant leaves. • Rely on connection/participant state events that LiveKit provides: ◦ Listen for the participant leaving/disconnected events to detect the initial disconnect. ◦ Listen for participant rejoined/connected events to detect reconnection. • Use those events to decide shutdown: ◦ Do not call 
ctx.shutdown()
on the first disconnect event. ◦ If you receive a reconnect event before you decide to close, continue the session. ◦ If you observe definitive end signals (for example, an explicit room close, session end, or a final "participant left and will not return" signal from your app logic), then call 
ctx.shutdown()
. Why this is safer than immediate shutdown • An immediate shutdown cannot be reversed if the participant quickly reconnects. • Listening to LiveKit connection/participant events gives you authoritative signals about presence without forcing you to invent low-level reconnection detection. If you’d like, I can: • Provide concrete example code showing how to wire the participant/connection events to manage shutdown in Node.js or Python. • Recommend a small, minimal fallback timer pattern (only a few seconds) that pairs with event listening for edge cases (optional). Which language would you prefer the example in — Node.js or Python? , with interactive elements
c
Can a remote participant be disconnected then reconnected to the same room automatically by livekit?
t
I don't have the answer you're looking for. You could also try asking your question: • in one of the other Slack channels or • to https://deepwiki.com/livekit/livekit_composite which is trained on all LiveKit source code If you find the answer, please post it here to help others!
c
Does the event participant disconnected include any participant, remote or local? So the if the agent is disconnected, the event is triggered?
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