Use OpenAI Codex in the Terminal and Push Code to GitHub

Overview

This guide explains how to install, sign in to, and use OpenAI Codex from the terminal.

Note: To use OpenAI Codex in the terminal, you need an active OpenAI subscription that includes access to Codex features. If you use API key authentication, make sure your OpenAI account has API access enabled.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure that you have:

• Git installed.
• Node.js installed.
• A GitHub account.
• An OpenAI account or API key.
• A project folder.

Verify your tools:

git --version
node --version

Install Codex

Install the CLI.

npm install -g @openai/codex

Verify the installation.

codex --version

Expected result:

The terminal displays the installed version.

Sign in

If the CLI supports interactive authentication:

codex login

After you run the login command, your default web browser opens.

Sign in with your OpenAI account and complete the authentication process. When authentication succeeds, return to the terminal to continue.

Start Codex

Open your project.

cd my-project
codex

Work with Codex

Example prompts:

Explain this project.

Add input validation.

Fix failing tests.

Generate test case.

Review every proposed change before accepting it.

Test Your Changes

Run your project’s tests.

npm test

or

dotnet test

Resolve issues before committing.

Push Your Changes to GitHub

After you review your changes and verify that your code works as expected, you can push your changes to your GitHub repository by using your team’s standard Git workflow.

For more information about working with Git and GitHub, see your organization’s documentation or the GitHub documentation.

Troubleshooting

Best Practices

• Review generated code.
• Run tests before every commit.
• Use descriptive commit messages.
• Keep commits small.
• Never commit secrets.