Local tasks
Codex can perform two types of tasks for you: local tasks and cloud tasks.
Codex completes local tasks directly on your machine. This can be your personal laptop, desktop, or even a server you have access to.
For local tasks, Codex directly interacts with your local file system to change files and run commands. This means you can see which files are changing in real time, let Codex use your local tools, and have it jump into parts of your codebase that you are currently working on.
To limit the risk of Codex modifying files outside of your workspace, or perform other undesired actions, Codex runs local tasks in a sandbox environment by default.
Sandbox
On Mac and Linux, Codex runs local tasks in a sandbox by default. The sandbox limits which files the model can access and which commands it can run, with or without approval, and it can also control internet access. For Windows, run Codex locally in Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) or a Docker container to provide secure isolation.
To learn more about the sandbox and your control options, check out the security guide.
cloud tasks
The alternative to local tasks is cloud tasks, which are helpful when you want Codex to work on tasks in parallel or when inspiration strikes on the go.
Codex runs each cloud task in an isolated environment that allows the Codex agent to work on the task in a secure and isolated way. To set up the environment, Codex will clone your repository and check out the relevant branch it’s working on. To use Codex for cloud tasks, push your code to GitHub first. If you haven’t pushed your code to GitHub yet, you can also use the Codex CLI or IDE extension to delegate tasks from your local machine, which includes the current code you are working on.
By default, environments come with common programming languages and dependency management tools. To get the most out of Codex cloud tasks, you can also install more packages and enable internet access by customizing the environment for your project.
Codex interfaces
Codex is available through the following interfaces depending on your use case. The goal is for Codex to be available wherever you are, whenever you need it.
The most common interfaces are:
Codex IDE extension
The Codex IDE extension is an extension that you can install in Visual Studio Code, Cursor, Windsurf, or IDEs compatible with Visual Studio Code. It allows you to use Codex in your editor to chat, edit, and preview changes seamlessly.
Codex CLI
The Codex CLI is a command-line interface that you can use to interact with Codex from your terminal. With the Codex CLI, you can use Codex locally without opening a code editor.
Codex Web
Codex Web is the web interface available at ChatGPT.com/codex. You can use Codex Web to configure your cloud task environments, delegate tasks to Codex, and track code reviews.
Codex Mobile
If you want to use Codex to work on tasks on the go or review past tasks, you can use Codex Mobile within the ChatGPT app on iOS. From there, you can start new cloud tasks, review past ones, and open pull requests if you’re happy with the result of your Codex task.
Codex SDK
The Codex SDK is a collection of programmable ways to control and interact with Codex. You can use the Codex SDK to build Codex directly into your own tools or CI/CD pipelines. It includes an API library, a way to script the Codex CLI, and a GitHub Action to use Codex within your GitHub CI/CD pipeline.
Code Review
Codex can automatically review your code directly within GitHub, just like your colleagues do. To do this, tag @codex review inside your pull request or enable automatic code review on your repository. To learn more, check out the dedicated code review guide.