OpenAI has unveiled Codex CLI, a new open source tool that brings AI coding power directly into your terminal. Designed to run locally, this lightweight agent helps developers write, edit, and manage code using natural language — all from the command line.
The launch came alongside OpenAI’s latest AI models, o3 and o4-mini. Codex CLI connects these models with your local code and system tasks. It can take commands, move files, and help automate basic development workflows — right from your desktop.
OpenAI says Codex CLI is a step toward its long-term vision of “agentic” software engineers. These AI agents, as described by the company’s leadership, could one day take a full app idea and build it from start to finish — even testing it.
Codex CLI doesn’t go that far yet. But it does allow developers to interact with AI in a more direct and transparent way. By linking code with AI in a local environment, users get more control and visibility over what the model does.
One of Codex CLI’s standout features is its support for multimodal input. You can feed it a screenshot or a quick sketch, and the AI will reason about the task using your local files. This opens new possibilities for coding assistance, especially in early-stage prototyping.
The tool is fully open source. That means developers can inspect the code, modify it, and adapt it to suit their own workflows. OpenAI says this transparency is key to building trust and promoting safe adoption of AI tools.
To encourage developers to try it, OpenAI is launching a funding program. The company will distribute $1 million in API credits to software projects using Codex CLI. Each selected project will get $25,000 worth of credits to build and scale their tools.
Still, caution is needed. Research shows that AI code tools can miss bugs or introduce new security issues. Giving AI direct access to critical code or system files comes with real risks. Developers should use it wisely and keep manual checks in place.
