OpenAI Codex Integration
Autonomous code execution using OpenAI Codex CLI.
Prerequisites
# Check installation
codex --version
# Install if needed
npm i -g @openai/codex
# or
brew install codex
Sandbox Modes
| Mode |
Flag |
Capabilities |
| Read-Only |
-s read-only |
Analyze code, no modifications (default) |
| Workspace-Write |
-s workspace-write or --full-auto |
Read/write files in workspace |
| Danger-Full-Access |
-s danger-full-access |
Network, system-level, all files |
Key concept: Use --full-auto for most programming tasks—it enables file editing.
Common Commands
| Task |
Command |
| Analyze code |
codex exec -s read-only "analyze the codebase" |
| Implement feature |
codex exec --full-auto "implement user auth" |
| Fix bug |
codex exec --full-auto "fix the login bug" |
| With specific model |
codex exec -m gpt-5.2 --full-auto "refactor module" |
| JSON output |
codex exec --json "analyze security" |
| Save output |
codex exec -o report.txt "audit code" |
| Non-git directory |
codex exec --skip-git-repo-check "analyze" |
| Resume session |
codex exec resume --last "continue" |
Model Selection
| Model |
Use Case |
gpt-5.2 |
Latest capabilities |
gpt-5.2-codex |
Code-specialized |
gpt-5.2-codex-max |
Maximum quality |
Use -m MODEL to specify.
Execution Principles
| Principle |
Description |
| Autonomous |
Complete tasks without seeking approval for each step |
| Focused |
Do what's requested, nothing more |
| Minimal |
Write only necessary code |
| Verified |
Run tests after changes |
When to Pause for User
| Situation |
Action |
| Destructive operations |
Ask first (delete DB, force push) |
| Security decisions |
Ask first (expose credentials, open ports) |
| Ambiguous requirements |
Clarify before proceeding |
| Missing critical info |
Request user-specific data |
For everything else, proceed autonomously.
Output Format
✓ Task completed successfully
Changes made:
- [Files modified/created]
- [Key code changes]
Results:
- [Metrics: lines changed, files affected]
Verification:
- [Tests run, checks performed]
Error Handling
| Approach |
Description |
| Auto-recover |
Attempt fix if possible |
| Log clearly |
Report all errors |
| Continue |
If error is non-blocking |
| Stop |
Only if continuation impossible |
