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Codex

By OpenAI
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OpenAI Codex: coding agents across desktop, IDE, CLI and cloud

Last updated Apr 24, 2026

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What is Codex?

OpenAI Codex is a coding agent for code changes, reviews and parallel work across desktop, IDE, CLI and cloud. Reusable cloud environments define repository setup while each task runs in a separate workspace.

Codex's Top Features

Key capabilities that make Codex stand out.

Natural-language coding tasks that investigate, change and test a repository

Codebase exploration and answers grounded in the selected project

Desktop app workflow for local project tasks

IDE extension and terminal CLI workflows

Reusable cloud environments with repositories, dependencies, tools and approved access

Separate cloud task workspaces that can continue while the computer is asleep

Review changed files and test results, then request follow-up changes

Commit changes or open a pull request after review

Configurable cloud network destinations and service credentials

Multiple separate cloud tasks from one published environment

Use Cases

Who benefits most from this tool.

Backend engineer

Generate REST endpoints, write unit tests, and fix failing integrations from natural language specs.

Frontend developer

Implement UI components and state management, and modify existing code based on product requirements.

Full‑stack team

Scaffold new projects, configure routing and data models, and set up CI with iterative testing.

Data scientist

Translate exploratory notebooks into production pipelines and optimize performance bottlenecks.

QA engineer

Auto-generate unit, integration, and regression tests and triage failures with explanations.

DevOps engineer

Author CLI scripts and GitHub Actions, validate builds, and automate deployment steps.

Tech lead / Reviewer

Run automated pull request reviews, reason across dependencies, and suggest improvements in PRs.

Project maintainer

Refactor legacy modules safely, rename symbols at scale, and keep style consistent across the codebase.

New team member

Ask questions about the codebase to accelerate onboarding and clarify unfamiliar sections.

Open‑source contributor

Propose and create pull requests directly from issues and natural language prompts.

Explore Top AI Use Cases

Tags

AI coding agentsoftware developmentcode reviewdebuggingtest generationdesktop appIDE extensionterminal CLIcloud environmentsGitHub repositories

Codex's Pricing

Top Codex Alternatives

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OpenAIai lab

Creating safe AGI that benefits all of humanity

249 Tools58 MCP Servers14 ModelsFounded 2015San Francisco, CA
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249 Tools·14 Models·58 MCP Servers·5.0avg

AI Models by OpenAI

Large language models from the same organization.

ModelContext WindowPrice (In / Out per M)
GPT-6.1 SolCurrent1.1M$2.00 / $10.00
GPT-6 SolCurrent1.1M$2.00 / $10.00
GPT-6 LunaCurrent1.1M$0.10 / $0.50
GPT-5.6 LunaCurrent1.1M$0.20 / $1.20
GPT-5.6 TerraCurrent1.1M$2.00 / $12.00
GPT-5.6 SolCurrent1.1M$4.00 / $20.00

Resources & Guides

Tutorials, guides, and in-depth resources.

OpenAI Codex Quick Start Guide

quickstart

Get Codex running in under 5 minutes. Covers CLI installation on every platform, authentication with ChatGPT or API keys, your first tasks, the desktop app, Codex Cloud, and IDE extensions.

Codex CLI: The Complete Guide

guide

Master Codex CLI: interactive vs exec mode, key flags (--full-auto, --sandbox, --model), config.toml setup, slash commands, and remote WebSocket sessions.

Mastering AGENTS.md: Codex Custom Instructions

guide

Complete guide to AGENTS.md for OpenAI Codex — discovery hierarchy, override files, fallback filenames, /init scaffold, size limits, verification, and troubleshooting.

Codex Skills & Plugins: Extend Your Agent

guide

A comprehensive guide to the Codex Skills and Plugins system - how skills are defined, stored, invoked, bundled into plugins, and configured for OpenAI agents.

User Reviews

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is OpenAI Codex?
OpenAI Codex is a coding agent for investigating, changing and reviewing software projects. It works across the Codex desktop app, IDE extension, CLI and cloud. Inspect its proposed changes and test results before using them.
Where can I use Codex?
OpenAI documents Codex across its desktop app, IDE extension, terminal CLI and cloud tasks. Feature availability and usage limits depend on your account and workspace settings; check the current Codex product and plan pages for your account.
How do Codex Cloud environments work?
A published cloud environment is reusable project setup: selected repositories, dependencies, tools and approved access. Each new cloud task starts in its own isolated workspace from that setup.
How does a Codex Cloud task run?
Choose a published environment, describe the task, then inspect changed files and test results. You can request follow-up work and commit or open a pull request when ready. Cloud tasks can continue while your computer is asleep.
Can Codex help with debugging and tests?
Codex can investigate bugs and propose code changes, refactors and tests. Its output is a proposal to inspect and validate in your repository, not a guarantee that every change is ready to ship.
Does Codex work from my IDE and terminal?
Codex has an IDE extension and terminal CLI, alongside its desktop app. Cloud tasks can be started from supported web or desktop surfaces. The exact workflow depends on your account and environment.
How is network access controlled in Codex Cloud?
A cloud environment can allow specified network destinations and use configured network secrets for services it needs. Review the environment setup and access before publishing it for new tasks.
Can Codex handle several engineering tasks?
Separate cloud tasks can use the same published environment while keeping each task workspace isolated. Review each task’s proposed changes and tests before merging or deploying them.
What if my task needs private services?
Configure the environment’s approved repositories, tools, network destinations and secrets during setup. Test the setup, resolve missing access, and publish the environment before starting new tasks from it.
How do I start a Codex Cloud task?
In ChatGPT web or the desktop app, choose Work in > Cloud, select or create an environment, and publish its reviewed setup. Start a new task, describe the work, then inspect its changes and checks.