Codex CLI ​

Codex CLI is OpenAI's open-source terminal coding agent. It runs in a sandboxed environment with three approval modes: suggest (review everything), auto-edit (auto-approve file changes, approve commands), and full-auto (approve everything). The agent reads your codebase, writes code, runs commands, and calls MCP tools — all from the terminal. Multimodal input lets you paste screenshots alongside text prompts.

Cx
Codex CLI
OpenAI · GitHub
TRANSPORT
Streamable HTTP ✓
PLATFORM
Terminal (macOS / Linux)
MCP VIA
Config File

Three Approval Modes for Different Trust Levels ​

Codex CLI's approval system adapts to your comfort level:

  • Suggest — every action requires approval. See diffs and commands before execution
  • Auto-edit — file changes apply automatically, terminal commands still need approval
  • Full-auto — everything runs without prompting. Use in sandboxed environments

The sandboxed execution uses network-disabled containers, so even in full-auto mode, the agent can't make unexpected network calls. MCP tools are the controlled exception — they provide specific, approved network access.

Multimodal input lets you drag screenshots, mockups, or error images into the terminal. The agent "sees" the image and incorporates visual context into its coding decisions.

Features:

  • Three approval modes — suggest, auto-edit, full-auto
  • Sandbox — network-disabled environment for safe execution
  • Multimodal — paste images alongside text prompts
  • OpenAI models — GPT-4o, o3, o4-mini, and future models
  • Git-aware — reads diffs, respects .gitignore
  • Custom instructions — project-level AGENTS.md for context
  • Open-source — Apache 2.0 by OpenAI

Terminal Setup ​

1. Create a Token ​

In Vinkius Cloud, go to your server → Connection Tokens → Create. Copy the URL.

2. Configure MCP ​

Add to your Codex CLI configuration file:

json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vinkius": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/{TOKEN}/mcp"
    }
  }
}

3. Run in Any Mode ​

bash
codex --approval-mode auto-edit "check deployment and fix the issue"

FAQ ​

Is full-auto mode safe? The sandbox disables network access. MCP tools provide the only approved external connections.

Can I paste screenshots? Yes. Multimodal input lets you provide images alongside text for visual context.

What models does Codex CLI use? GPT-4o, o3, o4-mini, and future OpenAI models. Uses your OpenAI API key.

Is Codex CLI free? Open-source. You pay for OpenAI API usage.