OpenAI Codex CLI

OpenAI's open-source terminal coding agent; sign in with a ChatGPT plan or API key, or run local models through Ollama or LM Studio.

Open-source alternative toClaude Code Cursor

Install guide (official) ↗ GitHub ↗ Creator kit →

OpenAI Codex CLI at a glance

Checked 21 Oct 2026

Codex CLI is an Apache-2.0 coding agent from OpenAI that runs on your computer. From the terminal it inspects, edits and runs code, connects tools through MCP servers, and runs scripted or CI jobs with codex exec or the Codex GitHub Action. There is also an IDE extension for VS Code, Cursor and Windsurf. Sign in with ChatGPT (Codex is included in Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Edu and Enterprise plans, with usage limits) or use an OpenAI API key; the --oss flag runs local open models through LM Studio or Ollama. Runs on macOS, Linux and Windows, with a native Windows sandbox.

Cite this pageRepoQuarry. “OpenAI Codex CLI.” Checked 21 Oct 2026. https://repoquarry.dev/projects/codex-cli

How much of Claude Code does it replace?

Use it instead of paying for Claude Code?

Personal use: Confirmed: Yes
For a business: Confirmed: Yes

5 of 6 jobs. Very close match for terminal, IDE, MCP and CI use; the docs do not describe writing commits or opening pull requests from the CLI.

Edit code across a repo from the terminal with an AI agent Partial replacement

Run commands and tests Partial replacement

Use the agent inside VS Code or JetBrains Partial replacement

Connect tools and data through MCP Partial replacement

Write commits and pull requests Not covered

Run the agent headless in scripts or CI (GitHub Actions) Partial replacement

For write commits and pull requests, see other Claude Code alternatives. You may also need to build an interface, an API server and hosting yourself.

How much of Cursor does it replace?

Use it instead of paying for Cursor?

Personal use: Confirmed: Yes
For a business: Confirmed: Yes

3 of 7 jobs. Agent edits and commands from the terminal or an IDE extension; not an editor, so no tab completion. Cloud agents are the separate Codex Web product.

Code in an AI-first editor Not covered

Multi-line tab completion and next-edit prediction Not covered

Let an agent plan and edit across many files Partial replacement

Run terminal commands and tests from the agent Partial replacement

Ask questions about your whole codebase Not covered

Connect tools and data through MCP Partial replacement

Run agents in the cloud in the background Not covered

For code in an AI-first editor, multi-line tab completion and next-edit prediction, ask questions about your whole codebase, run agents in the cloud in the background, see other Cursor alternatives. You may also need to build an interface, an API server and hosting yourself.

Facts, with sources

Every answer links to where we found it. We read the documentation; we did not install it.

Report a correction

QuestionAnswerSourceChecked

Runs on my machine? Yes, a command-line agent that runs on your computer; cloud models run on OpenAI's servers unless you use --oss Codex CLI is a coding agent from OpenAI that runs locally on your computer. github.com · codex#readme ↗ today

Code licence Apache-2.0 Apache License Version 2.0, January 2004 github.com · LICENSE ↗ today

Model weights licence No separate model weights github.com · codex#readme ↗ today

Commercial use Allowed under Apache-2.0 each Contributor hereby grants to You a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license github.com · LICENSE ↗ today

Paid services needed? Not required with local models (--oss with Ollama or LM Studio) or the limited ChatGPT Free plan; paid ChatGPT plans and OpenAI API keys are optional Use a local open source model provider. Codex uses --local-provider, your configured oss_provider, or prompts you to choose between LM Studio and Ollama. learn.chatgpt.com · developer-commands ↗ today

Hardware Not documented in the README or CLI docs Know the answer? —

Operating systems macOS, Linux and Windows (native PowerShell with a Windows sandbox, or WSL2) Run the following on Windows to install Codex CLI: github.com · codex#readme ↗ today

Setup effort Easy; one-line install script, npm or Homebrew, then sign in with ChatGPT Then simply run `codex` to get started. github.com · codex#readme ↗ today

No licence changes since we started watching. Licence watch: follow OpenAI Codex CLI and we email you if its licence terms change.

Growth and activity in detail

Is it popular, and is anyone still working on it? From GitHub.

Numbers appear after the first nightly fetch from GitHub.

GitHub numbers appear after the first nightly fetch.

What it costs to run

Software$0

Required paid servicesnone

Optional paid servicesChatGPT plan (Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Edu, Enterprise), OpenAI API key

Your hardwareNot documented in the README or CLI docs

Claude Code: Included with Claude Pro ($20/month, or $17/month billed annually), Max (from $100/month), Team and Enterprise; not on the free plan (source, checked 21 Oct 2026). Running it yourself costs your hardware, electricity and setup time.

Using an AI agent?

The same record, as JSON or through MCP.

get_project("codex-cli")
GET /api/v1/projects/codex-cli.json

API and MCP docs →

OpenAI Codex CLI

OpenAI Codex CLI at a glance

How much of Claude Code does it replace?

How much of Cursor does it replace?

Facts, with sources

Growth and activity in detail

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