Codex Skill Guide
When to use this skill
Use this skill when:
- The user explicitly asks to run Codex CLI (e.g., "use codex to...", "run codex exec...")
- The user references OpenAI Codex or the Codex CLI tool by name
- The user wants code analysis or refactoring with configurable reasoning effort (low, medium, high)
- The user needs automated code editing with sandbox permissions (read-only, workspace-write, danger-full-access)
Running a Task
- Ask the user (via
AskUserQuestion) which model to run (gpt-5orgpt-5-codex) AND which reasoning effort to use (low,medium, orhigh) in a single prompt with two questions. - Select the sandbox mode required for the task; default to
--sandbox read-onlyunless edits or network access are necessary. - Assemble the command with the appropriate options:
-m, --model <MODEL>--config model_reasoning_effort="<low|medium|high>"--sandbox <read-only|workspace-write|danger-full-access>--full-auto-C, --cd <DIR>--skip-git-repo-check
- When continuing a previous session, use
codex exec resume --lastvia stdin. IMPORTANT: When resuming, you CANNOT specify model, reasoning effort, or other flags—the session retains all settings from the original run. Resume syntax:echo "your prompt here" | codex exec resume --last 2>/dev/null - IMPORTANT: By default, append
2>/dev/nullto allcodex execcommands to suppress thinking tokens (stderr). Only show stderr if the user explicitly requests to see thinking tokens or if debugging is needed. - Run the command, capture stdout/stderr (filtered as appropriate), and summarize the outcome for the user.
- After Codex completes, inform the user: "You can resume this Codex session at any time by saying 'codex resume' or asking me to continue with additional analysis or changes."
Quick Reference
| Use case | Sandbox mode | Key flags |
|---|---|---|
| Read-only review or analysis | read-only | --sandbox read-only 2>/dev/null |
| Apply local edits | workspace-write | --sandbox workspace-write --full-auto 2>/dev/null |
| Permit network or broad access | danger-full-access | --sandbox danger-full-access --full-auto 2>/dev/null |
| Resume recent session | Inherited from original | echo "prompt" | codex exec resume --last 2>/dev/null (no flags allowed) |
| Run from another directory | Match task needs | -C <DIR> plus other flags 2>/dev/null |
Following Up
- After every
codexcommand, immediately useAskUserQuestionto confirm next steps, collect clarifications, or decide whether to resume withcodex exec resume --last. - When resuming, pipe the new prompt via stdin:
echo "new prompt" | codex exec resume --last 2>/dev/null. The resumed session automatically uses the same model, reasoning effort, and sandbox mode from the original session. - Restate the chosen model, reasoning effort, and sandbox mode when proposing follow-up actions.
Error Handling
- Stop and report failures whenever
codex --versionor acodex execcommand exits non-zero; request direction before retrying. - Before you use high-impact flags (
--full-auto,--sandbox danger-full-access,--skip-git-repo-check) ask the user for permission using AskUserQuestion unless it was already given. - When output includes warnings or partial results, summarize them and ask how to adjust using
AskUserQuestion.
