{"id":50888,"date":"2026-02-02T17:21:44","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T22:21:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=50888"},"modified":"2026-02-02T17:21:44","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T22:21:44","slug":"codex-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2026\/02\/02\/codex-app\/","title":{"rendered":"Codex App"},"content":{"rendered":"

OpenAI<\/a> (Hacker News<\/a>):<\/p>\n

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Today, we’re introducing the Codex app for macOS—a powerful new interface designed to effortlessly manage multiple agents at once, run work in parallel, and collaborate with agents over long-running tasks.<\/p>\n

We’re also excited to show more people what’s now possible with Codex<\/a>. For a limited time we’re including Codex with ChatGPT Free and Go, and we’re doubling the rate limits on Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans. Those higher limits apply everywhere you use Codex—in the app, from the CLI, in your IDE, and in the cloud.<\/p>\n

The Codex app changes how software gets built and who can build it—from pairing with a single coding agent on targeted edits to supervising coordinated teams of agents across the full lifecycle of designing, building, shipping, and maintaining software.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Samuel Axon<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Skills—basically extensions in the form of folders filled with instructions and other resources—are also supported. The app lets users configure Automations, which follow instructions on a user-set schedule, with Skills support.<\/p>\n

Based on my time using Codex, it seems capable, even though OpenAI has been running a few months behind Anthropic on the product side. To help bridge the gap, OpenAI is using a strategy it has used before: higher usage limits at a similar cost.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

David Gewirtz<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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In addition to the app itself, OpenAI announced a new plan mode for Codex that allows for a read-only review (meaning the AI won’t muck with your code) and selectable personalities. Personally, I’ve had just about enough personality from the human programmers I’ve managed, so I’d prefer a nice, personality-free personality in my coding agent. <\/p>\n

Recently, OpenAI also announced that Codex has an IDE extension for use in the JetBrains IDEs. Readers may recall that back in June I moved off of PhpStorm<\/a>, my favorite JetBrains development environment. I moved to VS Code simply because the AI tools were more available for that environment. It’s nice to see JetBrains IDE availability for those of us who prefer it over VS Code.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

The new Mac app adds a sandbox mode and lets developers set approval levels, including Untrusted, On failure, On request, and Never (meaning the app is never permitted to ask for elevated permissions). <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Previously:<\/p>\n