LibreAI / Dev Tools / codex
// devtools · openai/codex

codex

OpenAI's lightweight coding agent that runs locally in your terminal

★ 128.2k stars⑂ 20.1k forksApache-2.0updated 2026-10
▦ visual — this project's README ships no embeddable screenshot,
so here's a placeholder. The guide below is complete regardless.
// project facts

Project facts

codex is an open-source dev tools project by openai (openai/codex on GitHub). It has 128,197 GitHub stars and 20,112 forks, is released under the Apache-2.0 license, and was last updated on GitHub on 8 October 2026.

Repository
openai/codex
GitHub stars
128,197
Forks
20,112
License
Apache-2.0
Last updated on GitHub
8 October 2026
Category
Dev Tools
Listing
Full install guide
// how it works

How it works

  1. Clarify your goal

    Decide what you want from codex and check the README and requirements to confirm it fits your setup and Rust environment.

  2. Get the code

    Clone the repository from GitHub (github.com/openai/codex) or use the documented install channel if you do not need the source.

  3. Install and configure

    Follow the README quickstart to install dependencies and set any required configuration or credentials.

  4. Run your first task

    Work through the README's first example end to end, then adapt it to your own project or data.

// features

Why people love it

Local terminal agent

Codex CLI is a coding agent from OpenAI that runs locally on your computer.

IDE option

Also available inside VS Code, Cursor and Windsurf through the IDE integration.

Desktop app mode

Run `codex app` for the desktop app experience, separate from the cloud Codex Web.

ChatGPT plan sign-in

Sign in with your ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Edu or Enterprise plan, or use an API key.

Multiple install channels

Install via the standalone installer script, npm (`@openai/codex`), or Homebrew.

Release binaries

GitHub Releases ship per-platform binaries for macOS and Linux on arm64 and x86_64.

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// run it

Run it yourself

  1. Clone the repository

    Start by getting the source and entering the project directory.

    git clone https://github.com/openai/codex.git
    cd codex
  2. Install Codex CLI

    Use OpenAI's installer script on Mac or Linux, or `npm install -g @openai/codex`.

    curl -fsSL https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.sh | sh
  3. Run Codex

    Start it and sign in with your ChatGPT plan when prompted.

    codex
// use cases

What you can build

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// faq

Questions, answered

Who maintains codex?

It is maintained by openai and contributors on GitHub, where the repository github.com/openai/codex is the canonical home for code, issues and releases.

Is codex free to use?

Yes — it is open source under the Apache-2.0 license. Read the license in the repository for what is permitted, including any conditions on redistribution or commercial use.

Does it need a paid API key?

You need either a ChatGPT plan sign-in or an OpenAI API key — usage is not free beyond your plan or API billing.

How does codex compare to alternatives?

Compared with Claude Code: Both are terminal coding agents; Codex ties into ChatGPT plans and OpenAI models, while Claude Code uses Anthropic's Claude models.

How do I get started?

Clone github.com/openai/codex, follow the README quickstart to install it, and run the documented first example before adapting it to your own work.

// keep exploring

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// alternatives

Alternatives in Dev Tools

The most-starred other Dev Tools projects in the LibreAI catalogue — the realistic shortlist if codex is not the right fit.

Get codex

Free and open — grab the source, star the repo, and start creating.