Codex Cheat Sheet

This appendix contains a command cheat sheet, frequently asked questions, and version update information.

Command Cheat Sheet

CLI Basic Commands

Command	Description
`codex`	Launch interactive TUI
`codex "任务"`	Launch and execute specified task
`codex exec "任务"`	Execute task in non-interactive mode
`codex --version`	Display version information
`codex --help`	Display help information

Slash Commands

Command	Description
`/model <name>`	Switch model
`/fast`	Toggle Fast mode
`/plan`	Enter plan mode
`/review`	Review code changes
`/new`	Start new session
`/resume`	Resume historical session
`/fork`	Clone current session
`/compact`	Compact context
`/status`	Show session status
`/clear`	Clear screen
`/quit`	Exit Codex
`/approval <mode>`	Toggle approval mode

CLI Arguments

Argument	Description
`-m <model>`	Specify model
`--sandbox <mode>`	Set sandbox mode
`--approval-mode <mode>`	Set approval mode
`-i <file>`	Attach image
`-o <file>`	Output to file (exec)
`--full-auto`	Fully automatic execution
`--ephemeral`	Do not save session files
`--reasoning-effort <level>`	Reasoning effort

Shell Command Execution

Format	Description
`! <command>`	Execute Shell command in Codex
`! git status`	View Git status
`! npm test`	Run tests

Configuration File Paths

Configuration File Locations

File	Path	Purpose
User configuration	`~/.codex/config.toml`	Global default configuration
Project configuration	`.codex/config.toml`	Project-specific configuration
Project instructions	`AGENTS.md`	Project behavior guidelines
Log directory	`~/.codex/log/`	Run logs
Session directory	`~/.codex/sessions/`	Session records

Skills Directory

Location	Path
Project-level	`.agents/skills/`
User-level	`~/.agents/skills/`
System-level	`/etc/codex/skills/`

Keyboard Shortcuts

CLI Shortcuts

Shortcut	Function
`Enter`	Send message
`Shift+Enter`	New line
`Ctrl+C`	Interrupt operation
`Ctrl+C (两次)`	Exit Codex
`Ctrl+D`	Exit (when input is empty)
`Ctrl+R`	Search history
`Up/Down`	Browse history
`Tab`	Auto-completion
`Esc Esc`	Edit previous message
`Ctrl+O`	Copy last reply

App Shortcuts

Shortcut	Function
`Cmd/Ctrl+N`	New session
`Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N`	New window
`Cmd/Ctrl+W`	Close window/tab
`Cmd/Ctrl+[`	Previous tab
`Cmd/Ctrl+]`	Next tab

Frequently Asked Questions

Installation and Authentication

Q: How do I install Codex CLI?

Use npm or Homebrew:

npm install -g @openai/codex
# 或
brew install codex

Q: How to authenticate on first use?

Running the codex command automatically opens a browser for authentication. Log in with a ChatGPT account or API Key.

Q: Windows support?

Native Windows support is experimental; WSL2 is recommended for the best experience.

Usage Issues

Q: How to view current configuration?

Use/statuscommand to view the current session's configuration and status.

Q: How to disable the alternate screen?

Usecodex --no-alt-screenor configurealternate_screen = "never"。

Q: What if the command is not found?

Make sure PATH includes the npm global installation directory, or use Homebrew for installation.

Q: How to view logs?

Logs are located in the~/.codex/log/directory.

Feature Issues

Q: What is the difference between exec and interactive mode?

exec exits after a single execution, suitable for automation scripts; interactive mode supports continuous conversation, suitable for daily development.

Q: How to resume a historical session?

Use/resumecommand orcodex resume --last。

Q: Can GitHub Actions modify files?

Yes, set sandbox: workspace-write.

Q: How to authenticate in CI/CD?

Use the CODEX_API_KEY environment variable, stored as Secrets.

Security Issues

Q: How to prevent Codex from deleting important files?

Use read-only or workspace-write sandbox mode, and configure Rules to prohibit dangerous commands.

Q: Is full-auto mode safe?

full-auto automatically executes all operations, including deleting files; use with caution.

Q: How to handle sensitive data?

Use Secrets storage, available only in setup scripts.

Version Updates

Recent Updates

Version	Date	Update Content
v1.5.0	2026-04	Added support for GPT-5.4 series models
v1.4.0	2026-03	Improved Worktree functionality
v1.3.0	2026-02	Added Review Mode
v1.2.0	2026-01	Optimized MCP Server support
v1.1.0	2025-12	Added GitHub integration
v1.0.0	2025-11	Codex officially released

Updating CLI

Update Commands

# npm update
npm install -g @openai/codex@latest

# Homebrew update
brew upgrade codex

# View current version
codex --version

Related Resources

Official Resources

Resource	Address
Official Documentation	https://developers.openai.com/codex
GitHub	https://github.com/openai/codex
Codex Web	https://chatgpt.com/codex
Discord	https://discord.gg/openai

Tutorial Series

Chapter	Title	Content
01	Codex Getting Started	Core capabilities, plan comparison
02	Core Concepts	Prompt、Thread、Context、Sandbox
03	Desktop Application	App features, Review mode
04	IDE Extension	VS Code、Cursor、Windsurf
05	Command Line Tool	CLI installation, TUI, Approval
06	Cloud Version	Web interface, Environments
07	Integration & Connectivity	GitHub、Slack、Linear、MCP
08	Configuration & Customization	Config、Rules、Skills
09	Automation & CI/CD	exec、SDK、GitHub Action
10	Workflow Modes	Development workflow, refactoring, bug fixes
11	Prompt Best Practices	Prompt structure, task decomposition
12	Security & Enterprise Management	Sandbox, permissions, audit logs
13	Model Selection	GPT-5.4 series, reasoning strength
14	Appendix	Command quick reference, FAQ

Glossary

Term	Description
Agent	Codex's core execution unit, capable of understanding tasks and executing operations
Prompt	Task instructions sent by the user to Codex
Thread	Session sequence, containing complete conversation history
Context	Scope of information available to Codex, including files, conversations, and configuration
Sandbox	Isolated execution environment, restricting the scope of Codex's operations
Approval	Approval policies, controlling confirmation behavior before executing operations
AGENTS.md	Project instruction files, defining Codex's behavior guidelines
Skill	Reusable custom capability modules
Subagent	Sub-agents, used for parallel processing of complex tasks
Rules	Rules engine, defining command execution permissions
MCP	Model Context Protocol, a protocol for connecting external tools
Worktree	Git worktree, used for isolating working directories for different tasks

Feedback and Support

Getting Help

Usage/helpUse commands to view built-in help
Visit official documentation for detailed instructions
Join the Discord community to communicate and discuss

Reporting Issues

GitHub Issues：Submit bugs or feature requests
Submit suggestions through the Codex feedback feature

Codex is continuously updated and iterated; follow official channels for the latest information.

Other Extensions

Codex Cli