OpenAI Codex CLI

Project Introduction

Codex CLI is a coding agent from OpenAI that runs locally on your computer.

Official Homepage: https://chatgpt.com/codex
Project Homepage: https://github.com/openai/codex
Installation Method: See the tutorial below on this page

Demonstration

Features

Function Category	Feature
Terminal-Based Coding Assistant	Codex CLI is a terminal-based interactive coding assistant used for editing code, generating patches, and running commands in the command line.
Tool-Driven Architecture	Provides tools such as `apply_patch`, `shell`, `update_plan`, and `multi_tool_use` for controlled modifications to repository files and operations.
Atomic Patch Editing	Uses a specialized patch format to atomically add/update/delete files via `apply_patch`, facilitating auditing and rollback.
Sandboxing and Approval	Supports sandboxing policies (e.g., `workspace-write`, `read-only`) and approval modes (`on-request`, `on-failure`, `never`) to control write and network access permissions.
Plan Tracking	`update_plan` is used to list steps and track status, requiring only one `in_progress` step at all times to maintain clear progress.
Interaction Guidelines	Sends brief introductory explanations before important operations, maintaining a friendly, concise tone and providing progress updates.
Security Constraints	Adheres to strict rules (no arbitrary changes to unrelated files, no adding copyright headers, no executing destructive commands), requiring user approval for sensitive operations.
Testing and Formatting	Recommended to run relevant tests and formatting tools after modification, but not responsible for fixing issues unrelated to the current task.
Output and Style	Final output adheres to CLI rendering specifications (e.g., `**` headings, backticks for paths/commands), maintaining a scannable and concise structure.
Parallel Execution	Supports running multiple tools in parallel via `multi_tool_use.parallel` to improve efficiency.

AI Model Configuration Method

Windows Graphical Guide

1. Open Terminal

windows_open_terminal

2. Install WSL

For optimal performance on Windows, please install and use the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2).

Install WSL2, Restart Windows Computer

wsl --install

Restart the Windows computer after installation

Windows Notes

It is recommended to use PowerShell instead of CMD
If you encounter permission issues, try running as administrator
Some antivirus software may flag this as a false positive; you may need to add it to a whitelist

Download Node Version Manager (NVM)

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/master/install.sh | bash

NVM Install Node.js 22

Open a new PowerShell window in the tab bar and start WSL

wsl

Install Node.js

The version number is time-sensitive; please install the corresponding version according to the OpenAI official website requirements: https://developers.openai.com/codex/windows

nvm install 22

3. Install Codex CLI

Install Codex CLI

npm i -g @openai/codex

This command downloads and installs the latest version of Codex CLI from the official npm repository.

4. Modify Configuration File

One-Click Modification of Codex CLI Configuration File

iex (irm 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/QuantumNous/zipflow-docs/refs/heads/main/helper/codex-cli-setup.ps1')

windows-configure

5. Start Using Codex CLI

You can now start using Codex CLI!

Launch Codex CLI

Start WSL2

wsl

Launch Codex CLI directly:

codex

Use in a specific project:

cd mnt/c/path/to/your/project

codex

Press Enter to launch Codex CLI

Set Codex CLI permissions: 1. Allow Codex to modify files directly; 2. Codex requires manual authorization to modify files

Select Model

/model

Note: After modifying the interface address, all models (including official preset models) will call the custom access point and will not use the official account quota.

macOS Graphical Guide

1. Install Homebrew (Skip if already installed)

Homebrew is the package manager for macOS that installs missing software.

Official Website: https://brew.sh

Install Homebrew

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

2. Install Node.js Environment

Node.js Environment Installation Steps

Update Homebrew

brew update

Install Node.js

brew install node

macOS Notes

If you encounter permission issues, you may need to use sudo
The first run may require permission in System Preferences
It is recommended to use Terminal or iTerm2

Verify Successful Installation

After installation, open the terminal and enter the following commands:

node --version
npm --version

If the version number is displayed, the installation was successful

3. Install Codex CLI

Install Codex CLI

Open the terminal and run the following command:

# Install Codex CLI globally
npm install -g @openai/codex

If you encounter permission issues, you can use sudo:

sudo npm install -g @openai/codex

Verify Codex CLI Installation

After installation, enter the following command to check if the installation was successful:

codex --version

If the version number is displayed, congratulations! Codex CLI has been successfully installed.

4. Modify Configuration File

One-Click Modification of Codex CLI Configuration File

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/QuantumNous/zipflow-docs/refs/heads/main/helper/codex-cli-setup.sh | bash

macos-configure

5. Start Using Codex CLI

You can now start using Codex CLI!

Launch Codex CLI

Launch Codex CLI directly:

codex

Use in a specific project:

cd mnt/c/path/to/your/project

codex

Press Enter to launch Codex CLI

Set Codex CLI permissions: 1. Allow Codex to modify files directly; 2. Codex requires manual authorization to modify files

Note: After modifying the interface address, all models (including official preset models) will call the custom access point and will not use the official account quota.

6. macOS Common Issues Resolution

??? example "Permission Error During Installation" Try the following solutions:

Install using sudo: sudo npm install -g @openai/codex
Or configure npm to use the user directory: npm config set prefix ~/.npm-global

??? example "macOS Security Settings Block Execution" If the system blocks Codex CLI from running:

Open "System Preferences" → "Security & Privacy"
Click "Open Anyway" or "Allow"
Or run in Terminal: sudo spctl --master-disable

Linux Graphical Guide

1. Install Node.js Environment

Codex CLI requires the Node.js environment to run.

Node.js Environment Installation Steps

Add NodeSource repository

sudo curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -

Install Node.js

sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

Linux Notes

Some distributions may require installing additional dependencies
Use sudo if you encounter permission issues
Ensure your user has write permissions in the npm global directory

Verify Successful Installation

After installation, open the terminal and enter the following commands:

node --version
npm --version

If the version number is displayed, the installation was successful

2. Install Codex CLI

Install Codex CLI

Open the terminal and run the following command:

# Install Codex CLI globally
npm install -g @openai/codex

If you encounter permission issues, you can use sudo:

sudo npm install -g @openai/codex

Verify Codex CLI Installation

After installation, enter the following command to check if the installation was successful:

codex --version

If the version number is displayed, congratulations! Codex CLI has been successfully installed.

3. Modify Configuration File

One-Click Modification of Codex CLI Configuration File

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/QuantumNous/zipflow-docs/refs/heads/main/helper/codex-cli-setup.sh | bash

macos-configure

4. Start Using Codex CLI

You can now start using Codex CLI!

Launch Codex CLI

Launch Codex CLI directly:

# Launch Codex CLI
codex

Use in a specific project:

# Navigate to your project directory
cd /path/to/your/project

# Launch Codex CLI
codex

Press Enter to launch Codex CLI

Set Codex CLI permissions: 1. Allow Codex to modify files directly; 2. Codex requires manual authorization to modify files

Note: After modifying the interface address, all models (including official preset models) will call the custom access point and will not use the official account quota.

5. Linux Common Issues Resolution

??? example "Permission Error During Installation" Try the following solutions:

Install using sudo: sudo npm install -g @openai/codex
Or configure npm to use the user directory: npm config set prefix ~/.npm-global
Then add to PATH: export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH

??? example "Missing Dependency Libraries" Some Linux distributions require installing additional dependencies:

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install build-essential

# CentOS/RHEL
sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools"

OpenAI Codex CLI

On this page