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Codex CLI provides a powerful command-line interface for interacting with the Codex coding agent. You can run Codex interactively, execute tasks non-interactively, manage authentication, configure MCP servers, and more.

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Interactive vs Non-Interactive

Interactive Mode (default): 
codex
codex "create a todo app"
Non-Interactive Mode (exec command): 
codex exec "explain this codebase"
codex exec --json "run tests"

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Core Commands

codex

Run Codex interactively or with a prompt

exec

Run Codex non-interactively for automation

review

Run code reviews on commits or branches

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Session Management

apply

Apply latest diff from Codex to working tree

resume

Resume a previous interactive session

fork

Fork a previous interactive session

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Authentication

login

Authenticate with ChatGPT or API key

logout

Remove stored credentials

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Integration & Tooling

mcp

Manage external MCP servers

mcp-server

Run Codex as an MCP server (stdio)

app-server

Start Codex as an app server for IDEs

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Utilities

completion

Generate shell completion scripts

sandbox

Run commands within Codex sandbox

features

Inspect and manage feature flags

feedback

Submit feedback about Codex

debug

Debugging tools for app server

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Global Flags

These flags work with most commands:
  • -c, --config <KEY=VALUE> - Override config.toml settings
  • -p, --profile <NAME> - Use a specific config profile
  • -m, --model <MODEL> - Specify the AI model to use
  • --oss - Use open-source/local model providers
  • --enable <FEATURE> - Enable a feature flag
  • --disable <FEATURE> - Disable a feature flag

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Common Usage Patterns

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Quick One-Off Tasks

codex exec "add error handling to utils.ts"
codex exec --json "list all API endpoints" > endpoints.json

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Code Reviews

codex review --uncommitted
codex review --base main
codex review --commit abc123

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Using Different Models

codex -m gpt-4.1 "complex refactoring task"
codex --oss --local-provider ollama "local task"

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Configuration Overrides

codex -c sandbox_mode=workspace_write "build a CLI tool"
codex -p production exec "deploy to staging"

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Exit Codes

Codex CLI uses standard exit codes:
  • 0 - Success
  • 1 - Error occurred during execution

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Next Steps

Explore individual command documentation for detailed usage, flags, and examples.