Get up and running with OpenAI Codex in under 10 minutes. Choose your setup path: CLI, desktop app, or IDE extension.

Codex Quickstart

Codex runs everywhere you code. Pick the setup path that matches your workflow and you will be running your first task in under 10 minutes.

Choose Your Path#

| Path | Best For | Time to First Task | |------|----------|---------------------| | CLI Setup | Terminal-native developers, automation | ~5 minutes | | App Setup | Visual workflow, multi-agent management | ~5 minutes | | IDE Setup | In-editor coding, VS Code / Cursor users | ~3 minutes |

Prerequisites#

Before you start with any path, you need:

A ChatGPT subscription — Plus ($20/mo), Pro ($200/mo), Business, Edu, or Enterprise. Codex is included at no extra cost.
OR an OpenAI API key — For pay-as-you-go usage at standard API rates.

Tip

For most developers, signing in with your ChatGPT account is the easiest path. Your plan includes usage credits, so you can use Codex without managing API keys.

## Quick Install (CLI)

If you just want to get started fast:

# Install via npm
npm i -g @openai/codex

# Or via Homebrew
brew install --cask codex

# Launch Codex
codex

Codex will prompt you to sign in with your ChatGPT account on first run.

What Happens Next#

Once installed, Codex will:

Read your project — It scans AGENTS.md files for project conventions
Understand your codebase — It explores files, dependencies, and structure
Execute your task — Write code, run tests, create PRs
Ask for approval — Before running commands, based on your safety settings

Pricing Quick Reference#

| Plan | Monthly Cost | Codex Usage | |------|-------------|-------------| | ChatGPT Plus | $20/mo | ~30-150 messages per 5 hours | | ChatGPT Pro | $200/mo | ~300-1,500 messages per 5 hours | | Business | $30/user/mo | Team-shared limits | | API (pay-as-you-go) | Usage-based | GPT-5.3-Codex: $1.50/1M input, $6/1M output |

Info

If you hit your plan limits, you can purchase additional credits or switch to a lighter model like GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini to stretch your usage.

## Next Steps

After setup, explore what Codex can do:

Image to Code — Turn screenshots into working UI
Code Review — Get AI-powered code reviews
Codebase Onboarding — Understand unfamiliar projects fast
Configuration — Customize models, safety, and MCP servers