Codex CLI v0.75.0+ Integration Guide

Overview

This document outlines the integration with OpenAI Codex CLI v0.75.0+, highlighting breaking changes, new features, and implementation details for the MCP server wrapper.

Version Compatibility

Recommended Version: v0.75.0+

This MCP server is optimized for codex CLI v0.75.0 or later for full feature support.

Version History:

• v0.75.0: Added codex exec review command, sandbox modes, full-auto mode

• v0.74.0: Introduced gpt-5.2-codex model

• v0.50.0: Introduced --skip-git-repo-check flag, removed --reasoning-effort flag

• v0.36.0-v0.49.x: Not compatible with this MCP server version (use older MCP releases)

Breaking Changes ⚠️

v0.75.0 Changes (Current)

1. Resume command moved under exec

   • Old: codex resume <id>

   • New: codex exec resume <id>

   • Impact: MCP server updated to use new command structure

v0.50.0 Changes

1. --skip-git-repo-check flag now required

   • Required when running outside git repositories or in untrusted directories

   • Prevents "Not inside a trusted directory" errors

   • Impact: All MCP server commands now include this flag

2. --reasoning-effort flag changed

   • The standalone flag was removed in codex CLI v0.50.0

   • Now passed via -c model_reasoning_effort=<level> config flag

   • Impact: MCP server updated to use new config-based approach

v0.36.0 Changes (Historical)

1. Authentication Method Change

   • Old Method: OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable

   • New Method: codex login --api-key "your-api-key"

   • Storage: Credentials now stored in CODEX_HOME/auth.json

   • Impact: Users must re-authenticate using the new login command

New Features Implemented

1. Code Review (v0.75.0+)

• Command: codex exec review

• CLI Flags:

  • --uncommitted: Review staged, unstaged, and untracked changes

  • --base <branch>: Review changes against a base branch

  • --commit <sha>: Review changes introduced by a specific commit

  • --title <title>: Optional title for review summary

• MCP Tool: New review tool with all parameters exposed

2. Sandbox Mode (v0.75.0+)

• CLI Flag: --sandbox <mode>

• Modes:

  • read-only: No file writes allowed

  • workspace-write: Writes only in workspace directory

  • danger-full-access: Full system access (dangerous)

• MCP Parameter: sandbox parameter in codex tool

3. Full-Auto Mode (v0.75.0+)

• CLI Flag: --full-auto

• Description: Sandboxed automatic execution without approval prompts

• Equivalent to: -a on-request --sandbox workspace-write

• MCP Parameter: fullAuto boolean parameter

4. Working Directory (v0.75.0+)

• CLI Flag: -C <dir>

• Description: Set working directory for the agent

• MCP Parameter: workingDirectory parameter in both codex and review tools

5. Model Selection

• Default Model: gpt-5.2-codex (optimal for agentic coding tasks)

• CLI Flag: --model <model-name>

• Supported Models:

  • gpt-5.2-codex (default, specialized for agentic coding)

  • gpt-5.1-codex (previous coding model)

  • gpt-5.1-codex-max (enhanced coding)

  • gpt-5-codex (base GPT-5 coding)

  • gpt-4o (fast multimodal)

  • gpt-4 (advanced reasoning)

  • o3 (OpenAI reasoning model)

  • o4-mini (compact reasoning model)

• Usage: Model parameter available in exec, resume, and review modes

6. Reasoning Effort Control

• CLI Flag: -c model_reasoning_effort="<level>"

• Levels: minimal, low, medium, high

• MCP Parameter: reasoningEffort parameter in codex tool

• Note: The standalone --reasoning-effort flag was removed in v0.50.0, now uses quoted config values for consistency

7. Native Resume Functionality

• Command: codex exec resume <conversation-id>

• Automatic ID Extraction: Server extracts conversation IDs from CLI output

• Regex Pattern: /conversation\s*id\s*:\s*([a-zA-Z0-9-]+)/i

• Fallback Strategy: Manual context building when resume unavailable

• Session Integration: Seamless integration with session management

Features Not Yet Supported

The following Codex CLI features are not currently exposed through the MCP server:

Feature	CLI Flag	Notes
Image Attachments	-i, --image	Attach images to prompts
OSS/Local Models	--oss, --local-provider	LMStudio/Ollama support
Config Profiles	-p, --profile	Named configuration profiles
Approval Policy	-a, --ask-for-approval	Fine-grained approval control
Web Search	--search	Enable web search tool
Additional Dirs	--add-dir	Extra writable directories
JSON Output	--json	JSONL event stream output
Output Schema	--output-schema	Structured JSON output
Output File	-o, --output-last-message	Write response to file

These features may be added in future versions based on user demand.

Implementation Details

Command Construction (v0.75.0+)

IMPORTANT: All exec options (--model, -c, --skip-git-repo-check, -C, --sandbox, --full-auto) must come BEFORE subcommands (resume, review).

// Basic execution (v0.75.0+)
['exec', '--model', selectedModel, '--skip-git-repo-check', prompt]

// Execution with new parameters (v0.75.0+)
['exec', '--model', selectedModel, '--sandbox', 'workspace-write', '--full-auto', '-C', workingDir, '--skip-git-repo-check', prompt]

// Resume mode (v0.75.0+) - All exec options BEFORE 'resume' subcommand
['exec', '--skip-git-repo-check', '-c', 'model="modelName"', '-c', 'model_reasoning_effort="high"', 'resume', conversationId, prompt]

// Code review (v0.75.0+) - All exec options BEFORE 'review' subcommand
['exec', '-C', workingDir, '--skip-git-repo-check', '-c', 'model="modelName"', 'review', '--uncommitted', '--base', 'main', prompt]

// Code review without working directory
['exec', '--skip-git-repo-check', 'review', '--uncommitted', '--base', 'main', prompt]

Important: Resume Mode Limitations

The codex exec resume subcommand has a limited set of flags compared to codex exec:

• ✅ -c, --config - Configuration overrides (use for model selection)

• ✅ --enable/--disable - Feature toggles

• ❌ --model - Not available (use -c model="..." instead)

• ❌ --sandbox - Not available in resume mode

• ❌ --full-auto - Not available in resume mode

• ❌ -C - Not available in resume mode

• ⚠️ --skip-git-repo-check - Must be placed on exec command BEFORE resume subcommand

Important: Review Mode Limitations

The codex exec review subcommand also has limited flags:

• ✅ -c, --config - Configuration overrides (use for model selection)

• ✅ --uncommitted, --base, --commit, --title - Review-specific flags

• ✅ --enable/--disable - Feature toggles

• ❌ --model - Not available (use -c model="..." instead)

• ❌ --sandbox - Not available in review mode

• ❌ --full-auto - Not available in review mode

• ⚠️ -C - Must be placed on exec command BEFORE review subcommand

Key Changes in v0.75.0:

• Added: codex exec review subcommand for code reviews

• Added: --sandbox flag for sandbox modes (exec only)

• Added: --full-auto flag for automatic execution (exec only)

• Changed: codex resume moved to codex exec resume

• Note: Resume and review subcommands have limited flag support

Key Changes in v0.50.0:

• Added: --skip-git-repo-check flag (exec only)

• Changed: --reasoning-effort to -c model_reasoning_effort=<level>

Conversation ID Extraction

const conversationIdMatch = result.stderr?.match(/conversation\s*id\s*:\s*([a-zA-Z0-9-]+)/i);
if (conversationIdMatch) {
  sessionStorage.setCodexConversationId(sessionId, conversationIdMatch[1]);
}

Error Handling Enhancements

• Authentication Errors: Clear messaging for login requirement

• Model Validation: Graceful handling of invalid model names

• Network Issues: Proper error propagation and user feedback

• CLI Availability: Detection of missing Codex CLI installation

Migration Guide

For Existing Users (Upgrading to v0.75.0+)

1. Check Current Version:

   codex --version

2. Update Codex CLI (if below v0.75.0):

   npm update -g @openai/codex
   # or
   brew upgrade codex

3. Verify Version (must be v0.75.0 or later):

   codex --version  # Should show v0.75.0 or higher

4. Test New Features:

   # Test code review
   codex exec review --uncommitted
   
   # Test sandbox mode
   codex exec --sandbox workspace-write --skip-git-repo-check "list files"

For New Users

1. Install Codex CLI (v0.75.0+):

   npm install -g @openai/codex
   # or
   brew install codex

2. Verify Version:

   codex --version  # Must be v0.75.0 or later

3. Authenticate:

   codex login --api-key "your-openai-api-key"

4. Configure (Optional):

   # Edit ~/.codex/config.toml to set preferences
   # Example:
   # model = "gpt-5.2-codex"
   # model_reasoning_effort = "medium"

5. Test Setup:

   codex exec --skip-git-repo-check "console.log('Hello, Codex!')"

Performance Optimizations

Smart Model Selection

• Default to gpt-5.2-codex: Optimal for agentic coding without configuration

• Context-Aware Suggestions: Better model recommendations based on task type

• Consistent Experience: Same model across session interactions

Efficient Context Management

• Native Resume Priority: Use Codex's built-in conversation continuity

• Fallback Context: Only when native resume unavailable

• Token Optimization: Minimal context overhead for better performance

Error Recovery

• Graceful Degradation: Continue operation despite CLI issues

• Automatic Retry: For transient network issues

• Clear Error Messages: Actionable feedback for user troubleshooting

Testing Strategy

Integration Testing

• CLI Command Validation: Verify correct parameter passing

• Conversation ID Extraction: Test various output formats

• Error Scenario Handling: Comprehensive failure mode coverage

Edge Case Coverage

• Malformed CLI Output: Handle unexpected response formats

• Network Interruptions: Graceful handling of connectivity issues

• Model Availability: Handle model deprecation or unavailability

Best Practices

For Developers

• Always specify model explicitly when behavior consistency is critical

• Use appropriate reasoning effort based on task complexity

• Implement proper error handling for CLI interactions

• Monitor session lifecycle to prevent memory leaks

For Users

• Start with default settings for optimal experience

• Use sessions for complex tasks requiring multiple interactions

• Choose reasoning effort wisely to balance speed and quality

• Keep CLI updated for latest features and bug fixes

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Authentication Failures

   • Solution: Run codex login --api-key "your-key"

   • Verify: Check CODEX_HOME/auth.json exists

2. Model Not Available

   • Solution: Use default gpt-5.2-codex or try alternative models

   • Check: Codex CLI documentation for available models

3. Resume Functionality Not Working

   • Solution: System falls back to manual context building

   • Check: Conversation ID extraction in server logs

4. Performance Issues

   • Solution: Lower reasoning effort or use faster models

   • Monitor: Response times and adjust parameters accordingly