Codex - AI Code Assistants Tool

Overview

Codex is an open-source, terminal-first coding agent from OpenAI that can inspect repositories, edit files, run commands, and execute tests from an interactive CLI. It’s implemented for fast local use (the CLI binary is written in Rust for performance) and is designed to operate either fully locally or paired with OpenAI’s cloud-based Codex services for delegated compute and automated code review. ([developers.openai.com](https://developers.openai.com/codex/cli?utm_source=openai)) The tool is positioned as a “coding teammate” that helps with feature implementation, refactoring, debugging, and high-signal code reviews. Codex integrates with IDEs, the web, GitHub, and mobile (iOS) flows, and OpenAI bundles Codex access into ChatGPT subscription tiers (Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, Edu) rather than a separate product purchase. The CLI supports sign-in with a ChatGPT account or use via API keys, plus options to run against local OSS hosts with an --oss flag. ([openai.com](https://openai.com/codex/?utm_source=openai))

GitHub Statistics

• Stars: 55,542
• Forks: 7,152
• Contributors: 299
• License: Apache-2.0
• Primary Language: Rust
• Last Updated: 2026-01-09T16:33:48Z
• Latest Release: rust-v0.79.0

Repository is active and widely adopted: according to repository metadata provided there are 55,542 stars, 7,152 forks, and 299 contributors; license Apache-2.0; last commit recorded 2026-01-09T16:33:48Z. The official GitHub repository and docs indicate frequent releases and platform-specific binaries (macOS arm/x86, Linux x86/arm). Community contribution is strong (hundreds of contributors) and the project accepts issues and PRs, but several open issues show recurring sandbox/approval UX and automation reliability concerns. ([github.com](https://github.com/openai/codex?utm_source=openai))

Installation

Install via npm:

npm i -g @openai/codex

brew install --cask codex

codex  # run the interactive CLI after install

Key Features

• Interactive terminal UI that inspects and edits your repo from the command line.
• Can run shell commands, execute tests, and show realtime outputs for debugging.
• Delegation to cloud agents for long-running compute or isolated reviews.
• Integrated code review: tag @codex on GitHub PRs to request automated reviews.
• Sign-in with ChatGPT accounts (Plus/Pro/Business/Edu/Enterprise) or API keys.
• Local-only / OSS mode (--oss) to run against self-hosted OpenAI-compatible models.

Community

Active, fast-growing community with many contributors and rapid adoption. The GitHub repo is highly starred and regularly updated; OpenAI publishes docs and release binaries. Users frequently report sandbox/approval behavior and terminal-UX bugs (approval dialogs, network/sandbox enforcement, password prompt issues) via GitHub issues and Reddit, and maintainers engage through issues and changelogs. Expect frequent releases and evolving features; check the repo and docs for migration notes and known sandboxing limitations. ([github.com](https://github.com/openai/codex?utm_source=openai))

Key Information

• Category: Code Assistants
• Type: AI Code Assistants Tool