OpenAI Codex CLI
Lightweight, open-source coding agent from OpenAI that runs in your terminal, edits and runs code locally with configurable sandbox and approval modes, and authenticates with a ChatGPT plan or API key.
Open the source and read safety notes before installing.
Safety notes
- Codex CLI runs as a local agent that can edit files and execute commands on your machine.
- It supports configurable sandbox and approval modes; keep approvals enabled and review proposed actions before allowing them.
- Lowering approval or sandbox restrictions lets the agent act more autonomously, increasing the risk of unintended changes.
- Review generated code and commands before running them against important repositories or systems.
Privacy notes
- Code and prompts are sent to OpenAI to power the agent under your ChatGPT plan or API key.
- Data handling follows OpenAI's policies for the plan or API you authenticate with; review them before processing sensitive code.
- API keys and account credentials should be stored securely and never committed to source control.
Prerequisites
- A ChatGPT plan (Plus, Pro, Business, Edu, or Enterprise) for plan-based sign-in, or an OpenAI API key.
- Node.js and npm for the npm install, or Homebrew for the cask install.
- A terminal on macOS, Linux, or Windows.
Schema details
- Install type
- copy
- Troubleshooting
- No
- Scope
- Source repo
- Pricing
- open-source
- Disclosure
- editorial
- Application category
- DeveloperApplication
- Operating system
- macOS, Windows, Linux
Full copyable content
# npm
npm install -g @openai/codex
# Homebrew
brew install --cask codexAbout this resource
Overview
OpenAI Codex CLI is a lightweight coding agent that runs in your terminal. It is a local agent from OpenAI that helps with coding tasks on your computer across macOS, Linux, and Windows, and is also available as an IDE integration and a web experience.
It is released under the Apache-2.0 license and written primarily in Rust. The CLI itself is free and open source; inference is billed through your ChatGPT plan or OpenAI API usage.
Features
- Runs locally in the terminal as a coding agent.
- Configurable sandbox and approval modes for controlling autonomy.
- Authenticates with a ChatGPT plan or an OpenAI API key.
- Also available as IDE integrations (VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf) and on the web.
Use Cases
- Drive an AI coding agent from the terminal on a local repository.
- Use an existing ChatGPT plan for coding assistance without separate billing.
- Run code edits and commands under explicit approval and sandbox controls.
Installation
# npm
npm install -g @openai/codex
# Homebrew
brew install --cask codex
Disclosure
Editorial listing. No paid placement or affiliate relationship. Codex CLI is open source under Apache-2.0; using it requires a paid ChatGPT plan or OpenAI API usage.
Source citations
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