Codex CLI Launcher

Launch OpenAI Codex CLI in a fresh side terminal directly from the VS Code editor toolbar.

Install from Visual Studio Marketplace · Install from Open VSX

Latest GitHub release: v0.1.10

Codex CLI Launcher is a small, unofficial VS Code extension for developers who already use Codex CLI and want a predictable one-click launcher inside the editor. It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux wherever codex is available to the integrated terminal.

Unofficial project: This extension is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or approved by OpenAI. "OpenAI", "Codex", and related names are trademarks of their respective owners.

Features

• Launch Codex CLI from the editor title with one click
• Open a fresh side terminal for every launch instead of reusing existing sessions
• Start in the active editor's workspace, with a predictable fallback for multi-root windows
• Configure the launch command and terminal name without repository-controlled overrides
• Links to the official Codex CLI installation documentation when the default codex command is not available
• Supports quoted Windows executable paths, including PowerShell's call operator
• Does not collect telemetry, analytics, or personal data

Quick Start

1. Install Codex CLI using the official Codex CLI documentation.
2. Install Codex CLI Launcher from the Visual Studio Marketplace or Open VSX.
3. Open a file in a trusted workspace.
4. Click the launcher button in the editor title.

VS Code users can also install the extension from a terminal:

code --install-extension mikesoft.vscode-codex-cli-launcher

Trust and Privacy

• The launcher is disabled until the workspace is trusted.
• The CLI command is machine-scoped and cannot be supplied by a repository.
• The extension never downloads Codex CLI, generates installer scripts, or runs package-manager installation commands.
• Shell-output capture is bounded and used only to recognize a missing default codex command. Output from custom commands is not read.
• No telemetry, analytics, or personal data is collected.
• All extension artwork is packaged in the VSIX; no external images are loaded at runtime.

See SECURITY.md and the architecture documentation for the maintained trust boundaries.

Compatibility

Requirements

• VS Code ^1.103.0
• Codex CLI available in the integrated terminal environment, or a working custom launch command configured in settings

Missing CLI

If the default codex command is missing, the extension offers to open the official Codex CLI installation documentation in your browser. The extension does not download installers, create installation scripts, or run package-manager installation commands.

How It Works

Each launch creates a new terminal beside the current editor and sends the configured command immediately. Existing terminals are not reused.

When possible, the launcher opens the terminal in the workspace folder of the active editor. If the active editor is outside the workspace, it falls back to the first workspace folder in the current VS Code window.

The launcher checks command availability when the terminal runs, so it behaves consistently with your normal integrated terminal environment.

Configuration

Use the Command Palette to open the extension settings:

• Codex CLI Launcher: Open Settings

Examples:

Default command:

"codexCliLauncher.cliCommand": "codex"

Windows PowerShell executable path with spaces:

"codexCliLauncher.cliCommand": "& \"C:\\Program Files\\OpenAI Codex\\codex.cmd\""

Windows Command Prompt executable path with spaces:

"codexCliLauncher.cliCommand": "\"C:\\Program Files\\OpenAI Codex\\codex.cmd\""

Troubleshooting

The terminal opens but codex is not recognized

Follow the official Codex CLI installation documentation, then confirm that codex works in a regular integrated terminal.

If your setup relies on shell initialization, restart VS Code after installation so new terminals inherit the updated environment.

Nothing happens after clicking the button

Check codexCliLauncher.cliCommand and verify that the same command works in a regular terminal.

Custom executable path on Windows

Quote executable paths that contain spaces. In PowerShell, use its call operator before the quoted path, for example & "C:\Program Files\OpenAI Codex\codex.cmd". In Command Prompt, use the quoted path directly, for example "C:\Program Files\OpenAI Codex\codex.cmd".

Multi-root workspaces

The launcher prefers the workspace folder of the active editor. To control where Codex starts in a multi-root window, open a file from the target workspace before clicking the toolbar button.

Development

Local verification and packaging:

npm ci
npm run check
npm run audit
npm run package

npm run package creates the .vsix file in the workspace root.

The repository includes unit tests, metadata and security checks, a VS Code integration smoke test against the minimum supported VS Code release, and CI coverage for Windows and Linux. See the architecture, contribution guide, and release checklist for maintainer details.

Security

Do not disclose vulnerabilities in public issues. Use GitHub private vulnerability reporting or follow the fallback contact process in SECURITY.md.

Support

Open a GitHub issue for bugs and feature requests. For support details, see SUPPORT.md.

Financial support for the independent maintainer is available through GitHub Sponsors: github.com/sponsors/TheStreamCode.

Related Project

Need one launcher for multiple coding agents? Super CLI provides a single sidebar for Codex, Claude Code, Copilot, Cursor, Grok, Kilo, Antigravity, OpenCode, and other agent CLIs.

License

Released under the MIT License.