# Codex CLI review

> Codex CLI is a coding agent from OpenAI that runs locally in your terminal on Mac, Linux, and Windows.

Devtoolwatch Board, the week of Oct 25–31, 2026. Canonical page: https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/codex/

## TL;DR

Codex CLI is OpenAI's coding agent that runs locally on your computer from the terminal. It is for developers who want an agent in the command line and can sign in with a ChatGPT plan or an API key. The project is open source under Apache-2.0 and written mainly in Rust.

## Codex CLI at a glance

- **Category:** [Coding agents](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/categories/coding-agents/)
- **Maintained by:** OpenAI (organization, [@openai](https://github.com/openai) on GitHub)
- **License:** Apache 2.0
- **Language:** Rust, Python, Starlark
- **Repository:** [github.com/openai/codex](https://github.com/openai/codex)
- **npm package:** [@openai/codex](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@openai/codex) 0.164.0
- **Latest release:** [rust-v0.164.0](https://github.com/openai/codex/releases/tag/rust-v0.164.0) on GitHub, Oct 23, 2026
- **First published:** Apr 13, 2025

## What Codex CLI does

- Codex CLI runs a coding agent locally on your computer from the terminal.
- Codex CLI saves reusable prompts and slash commands in ten numbered /presets slots, with a keyboard menu for quick access.
- Codex CLI sets model, reasoning effort, speed, and permission profiles with inline /model and /permissions arguments.
- Codex CLI previews viewed and generated images in the fullscreen transcript on terminals that support Kitty or Sixel graphics.
- Codex CLI authenticates enterprise MCP connections using eligible Codex account grants or dedicated sign-in, including OAuth clients that require secrets.
- Codex CLI can open a desktop app experience with the codex app command.

### How it works

Codex CLI is a binary you run as codex in your terminal. You install it with a standalone script, npm, Homebrew, or a GitHub Release binary. On first run, you sign in with ChatGPT or set up an API key. Version 0.164.0 can connect to enterprise MCP servers. OpenAI also offers IDE, desktop app, and cloud versions of Codex.

## How to install Codex CLI

**On Mac or Linux**

```
curl -fsSL https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.sh | sh
```

**On Windows**

```
powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.ps1 | iex"
```

**With npm**

```
npm install -g @openai/codex
```

### Requirements

- A ChatGPT account on a Plus, Pro, Business, Edu, or Enterprise plan, or an OpenAI API key with additional setup.
- Node.js 16 or later when you install with npm.
- macOS, Linux, or Windows.

### First steps

1. Install Codex CLI with the installer script, npm, or Homebrew for your platform.
2. Run codex in your terminal to start Codex CLI.
3. Select Sign in with ChatGPT to use Codex CLI with your ChatGPT plan.
4. If you use an API key instead, follow the additional setup steps in the Codex auth documentation.

## Who Codex CLI is for

- Developers who want an AI coding agent that runs in the terminal.
- ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Edu, or Enterprise subscribers who want to use Codex through their plan.
- Enterprise teams that connect coding agents to MCP servers with OAuth sign-in.

### Limitations

- Codex CLI requires a ChatGPT sign-in or an API key, and the API key route needs additional setup.
- Codex CLI publishes frequent alpha pre-releases alongside its stable versions.

## Usage data (the week of Oct 25–31, 2026)

- Board rank: #50 overall, #27 in Coding agents, momentum score 75
- Downloads that week: 28.5M (+9% vs 4-week average)
- New GitHub stars per week (last 12 weeks): Aug 9: 1.4k; Aug 16: 7.9k; Aug 23: 5.9k; Aug 30: 2k; Sep 6: 1.9k; Sep 13: 1.7k; Sep 20: 1.4k; Sep 27: 1.2k; Oct 4: 1.1k; Oct 11: 1.2k; Oct 18: 1.2k; Oct 25: 1.9k

## Codex CLI alternatives

| Rank | Tool | Stars | Downloads/wk |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | [Cindy](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/makecindy-cindy/) | 8.8k | – |
| #2 | [OpenMausBot](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/milind-soni-openmausbot/) | 9.6k | – |
| #3 | [Orca](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/stablyai-orca/) | 111.7k | – |
| #4 | [OpenBot](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/copilotkit-openbot/) | 9.1k | – |
| #5 | [Agent Reach](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/panniantong-agent-reach/) | 107.2k | – |
| #6 | [Skill Recorder](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/microsoft-skill-recorder/) | 5.6k | – |

## Codex CLI FAQ

### Is Codex CLI free and open source?

Yes. Codex CLI's source code is on GitHub (openai/codex) under the Apache 2.0 license, so you can use it for free.

### How do I install Codex CLI?

Run `curl -fsSL https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.sh | sh`. It needs Node.js >=16. The install section above has the other options from the project's README.

### Is Codex CLI still maintained?

Yes. The openai/codex repository was last updated on Oct 23, 2026, and the latest release, rust-v0.164.0 on GitHub, came out on Oct 23, 2026.

### How popular is Codex CLI?

Codex CLI has 132.5k GitHub stars as of Nov 1, 2026. It gained 1.9k new stars in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, against a 12-week average of 2.4k a week. Its main package had about 28.5M downloads that week, +9% against its own 4-week average. That made it #27 among AI coding agents on the Devtoolwatch Board.

### Codex CLI vs Claude Code: how do they compare?

Codex CLI and Claude Code are both tracked by Devtoolwatch as AI coding agents. Codex CLI has 132.5k GitHub stars and Claude Code has 154.1k. In the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, Codex CLI's main package had 28.5M downloads and Claude Code's had 11.6M. Claude Code is Anthropic's agentic coding tool that reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands, and handles git workflows through natural language. [Claude Code review](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/claude-code/)

### Codex CLI vs OpenCode: how do they compare?

Codex CLI and OpenCode are both tracked by Devtoolwatch as AI coding agents. Codex CLI has 132.5k GitHub stars and OpenCode has 223.6k. OpenCode is an open source AI coding agent that helps you write and run code in a terminal, desktop app, or IDE extension. [OpenCode review](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/opencode/)

### What are the best alternatives to Codex CLI?

Other AI coding agents on the Devtoolwatch Board in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, by momentum: Cindy (#1), OpenMausBot (#2), Orca (#3), OpenBot (#4), Agent Reach (#5). The alternatives table above has their numbers.

### Is Codex CLI open source?

Yes. Codex CLI is licensed under the Apache-2.0 License, and its source code is in the openai/codex repository on GitHub.

### Is Codex CLI written in Rust?

Yes. Codex CLI is written mainly in Rust. The repository also contains Python, Starlark, TypeScript, and PowerShell code.

### How do I use Codex CLI with an API key?

Codex CLI works with an API key, but this requires additional setup described in the Codex authentication docs. OpenAI recommends signing in with ChatGPT instead.

### How do I use Codex CLI on Windows?

Codex CLI installs on Windows with a PowerShell command that runs the install.ps1 script from chatgpt.com. After installing, run codex to get started.

### What is the difference between Codex CLI and the Codex app?

Codex CLI is a coding agent that runs locally in your terminal. The Codex app is a desktop app experience, which you can open with codex app. Codex Web is a separate cloud-based agent at chatgpt.com/codex.

### Can I use Codex in VS Code or Cursor?

Yes. Codex has an IDE version for editors such as VS Code, Cursor, and Windsurf. You install it in your IDE separately from Codex CLI.

## Sources

1. [openai/codex on GitHub](https://github.com/openai/codex)
2. [Codex CLI README](https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/README.md)
3. [@openai/codex on npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@openai/codex)
4. [Release rust-v0.165.0-alpha.1 (Oct 23, 2026)](https://github.com/openai/codex/releases/tag/rust-v0.165.0-alpha.1)
5. [Release rust-v0.164.0 (Oct 23, 2026)](https://github.com/openai/codex/releases/tag/rust-v0.164.0)
6. [Release rust-v0.164.0-alpha.11.1 (Oct 23, 2026)](https://github.com/openai/codex/releases/tag/rust-v0.164.0-alpha.11.1)
7. [Hacker News: Codex CLI installs a persistent, self-updating background daemon by default](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50060694)
8. [Hacker News: Codex Security](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49089755)
9. [Hacker News: OpenAI Codex CLI: Lightweight coding agent that runs in your terminal](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43708025)
10. [Devtoolwatch Board, the week of Oct 25–31, 2026](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/)