From $17 per month🇺🇸
Agentic coding tool from Anthropic for terminal, IDE, desktop and browser that reads and edits code, runs commands and opens pull requests.
Codex CLI overview and key facts (October 2026)
Open source coding agent from OpenAI for the terminal, usable with a ChatGPT plan or API key, plus IDE extension and cloud.
Free
What is Codex CLI?
Codex CLI is OpenAI's open source coding agent for the terminal. Developers sign in with a ChatGPT plan or use an API key, and the same Codex agent is also available in IDE extensions, a desktop app, the cloud and GitHub code review.
Codex CLI installs via script, npm or Homebrew on macOS, Linux and Windows. After signing in with ChatGPT it uses the plan's included Codex usage; with an API key it bills at standard API rates. OpenAI also offers Codex in VS Code, Cursor and Windsurf through an IDE extension, as a desktop app, as cloud tasks and as GitHub pull request review.
All ChatGPT plans include Codex, with usage limits that vary by model and plan and are shared with other agentic features. The repository is under Apache 2.0, had 126,914 stars and was updated on September 28, 2026.
Codex CLI AI features and use cases
- Codes from the terminalYou describe a change in the terminal and Codex reads the repository, edits files and runs commands. Developers who work in the shell get agent help without switching to a different editor.
- Hands off work to the cloudCodex cloud tasks run in the background while the developer continues locally. Longer tasks can run in parallel and come back for review.
- Reviews pull requestsThe GitHub code review integration comments on pull requests. Teams get an automated first review on every change.
What sets Codex CLI apart
- Included in every ChatGPT plan, including Free, so existing ChatGPT licenses cover it.
- Open source CLI under Apache 2.0.
- One agent across terminal, IDE, desktop, cloud and GitHub.
Where Codex CLI is strongest
Available internationally
Codex CLI is an open source project under the Apache 2.0 license and runs on your own hardware in any country.
Questions to ask before you buy Codex CLI
The CLI is open source, but prompts and code go to OpenAI under the terms of the ChatGPT plan or API account you use. For company code use Business, Enterprise or the API rather than personal plans. Usage limits vary and are shared with other agentic features, so check capacity for heavy users.
Codex CLI reviews
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Questions about Codex CLI
Do we need a separate subscription for Codex?
No. OpenAI states that all ChatGPT plans include Codex. Alternatively you can use an API key with usage-based billing.
Which operating systems are supported?
The README provides installers for macOS, Linux and Windows, plus npm and Homebrew packages.
Is the CLI open source?
Yes. The repository is licensed under Apache 2.0 and had 126,914 GitHub stars on September 28, 2026.
Codex CLI update historyno updates yet
No changes recorded for Codex CLI yet.
Changes the vendor made and confirmed user reports, each checked against the vendor's own pages. We review every tool monthly.
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