OpenAI Launches Terminal-Based Coding Assistant for Developers

OpenAI has launched Codex CLI, a tool that can be used right from the command line to simplify coding tasks for developers. Using this solution, developers get to direct their code and still have access to powerful AI reasoning tools. The tool can be installed without any setup by simply using an NPM command. One key feature of Codex is that all code processing is done on your own computer, so your source code is always secure. Codex is completely command-line based, so you can work on it without switching back and forth from your editor, the documentation explained.

This innovative assistant is designed to take on three different roles in the operation:

• Suggest Mode: Processes files, suggests changes and only commits them after the user gives consent
• Auto Edit: Handles reading and writing files automa­tically while still asking for approval to run com­mands
• Full Auto: Does not access the internet or influence the device outside of its own sandboxed area

You can change the resolution at any point using the command flags or the shortcut. By default, Codex relies on OpenAI’s o4-mini model to process information, but users can still request services using other models by specifying them in the Responses API. Windows compatibility is only being developed for Windows Subsystem for Linux and is therefore not yet widely available. With this release, OpenAI is continuing to create ways for developers to work with AI, all while keeping data privacy at the forefront.