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03. Basic commands

Minimum useful set

codex

What it is:

  • the interactive TUI/CLI session.

Syntax:

codex
codex "fix the first failing test in this repo"
codex -C /path/to/repo

Use when:

  • you need exploration;
  • you want iterative back-and-forth;
  • the task may branch.

Do not use when:

  • you need a non-interactive CI step;
  • you only need a machine-readable result.

codex exec

What it is:

  • non-interactive execution.

Syntax:

codex exec "run tests, fix the first failure, summarize the changes"

Use when:

  • you want repeatable one-shot runs;
  • shell automation matters;
  • you need JSON or structured output.

codex review

What it is:

  • non-interactive code review.

Syntax:

codex review --uncommitted
codex review --base main
codex review --commit <sha>

Use when:

  • self-reviewing changes before a commit or PR;
  • checking staged, unstaged, or commit-based diffs.

codex resume and codex fork

  • resume continues an older session;
  • fork creates a new branch of thought from an older session.

Use when:

  • you want to restore context;
  • you want an alternative solution path without destroying the original one.

codex login status

  • quick auth health check.

codex completion

  • generate shell completion scripts.

Example:

codex completion bash
codex completion zsh

Useful global flags

-C, --cd <DIR>

  • set the working root explicitly;
  • use it when the repo is not your current directory.

-m, --model <MODEL>

  • pin the model explicitly;
  • use it when repeatability matters.

-p, --profile <NAME>

  • load a profile from config.toml;
  • use it for repeatable modes such as review, fast, or deep.

-s, --sandbox <MODE>

  • control filesystem access;
  • common modes: read-only, workspace-write, danger-full-access.

-a, --ask-for-approval <POLICY>

  • control command confirmation behavior;
  • on-request is usually a good default for interactive use.

--search

  • enable web search;
  • use it only when the task truly needs fresh external facts.

--full-auto

  • low-friction automatic mode;
  • use it only in a trusted repo with a narrow, well-defined task.

Recommended first run

codex -C /path/to/repo

Then start with:

Study the repository first. Find the entrypoint, tests, run commands, and main risks. Do not change anything before a short plan.

Sources