Full OpenAI Codex Tutorial: Beginner to Advanced

### TL;DR Codeex is the desktop version of ChatGPT, capable of directly manipulating files, building apps, and setting up automations on your computer. It offers a free tier, but the $20/month plan is recommended for a full experience. ## Getting Started with Codeex Codeex looks similar to ChatGPT but runs directly on your computer. It's available to anyone with a ChatGPT plan, including the free tier. However, usage quotas for the free or $8/month plans deplete quickly. The $20/month plan is sufficient for casual use; consider upgrading if you need it frequently. When you open the app, the interface resembles ChatGPT: a central input box and a sidebar. However, the sidebar includes additional "Plugins" and "Automations" features. It's recommended to first set the working mode: click the bottom right button to switch to "Daily Office" mode. This mode hides most technical details while retaining full capability—ideal for beginners. ## Core Concepts: Working Folder & Projects Codeex requires a working folder, referred to as a "Project" in the sidebar. Before starting a new conversation, select the corresponding project under the input box. A project corresponds to a real folder on your computer. For example, you can create a folder named "Context Window Operations" and drop in sales records, invoices, inventory numbers, etc. (spreadsheets, PDFs, images). ## Basic Operations: Organizing Files & Creating Spreadsheets Enter the instruction: "This is a messy folder for my indie programming café 'Context Window'. Help me clean it up, sort files into subfolders. Then create a spreadsheet summarizing all the information so I can understand the café's operations." Codeex will automatically analyze, move, edit, and create new files. After a few minutes, the folder is organized into labeled subfolders with files correctly categorized. It also generates a master spreadsheet with multiple tabs, automatically identifying errors, extracting invoice information, making inventory labels readable, and prioritizing issues. All generated real files are in the original folder—no manual download needed. ## Advanced Features: Plan Mode & Pet For more complex instructions, use the slash command `/plan` to enter Plan Mode. This makes Codeex think through and list steps before acting, possibly asking questions to gather preferences. For example, when creating an owner dashboard, Plan Mode will ask about the dashboard type (e.g., HTML dashboard) and control panel style. Another interesting slash command is `/pet`, which summons a small pet in the bottom right corner. It shows the current task status and notifies you when a task is complete or input is needed. Pet appearance can be changed in settings (e.g., flame style). ## Parallel Tasks & Steering Codeex supports opening multiple new chats within the same project, and they don't interfere with each other. For instance, while the main task of organizing the folder is in progress, you can open another chat and ask "what errors were found." The pet will indicate which chat requires your input. In Plan Mode, Codeex asks questions before taking action; after you answer, it continues working. If you forgot to include something in your instruction, you don't need to interrupt the task. Instead, use the "steer" function to submit follow-up instructions without interrupting the model's execution. This makes iterative modifications extremely convenient. ## Creating Dashboards & Iterative Modifications Use Plan Mode to create a visual owner dashboard (HTML) using data from the previously organized spreadsheet. Instruction: "Using the data from this table, create a visual owner dashboard for 'Context Window'. I need to see at a glance my café's sales, expenses, labor, inventory issues, and items needing attention." Codeex will first create a detailed plan; after confirmation, it starts building. After about 12 minutes, the dashboard is complete with charts for sales, expenses, inventory issues, bestsellers, action items, etc., and is responsive. If you want modifications, simply use natural language follow-up prompts like: "Add hover interactions to the sales chart so I can hover to see specific numbers." Changes take effect within minutes. ## Memory: Project Memory (agent.md) Codeex has two memory modes. Persistent memory runs automatically in the background. Project memory is created via the `/init` slash command. It generates an `agent.md` file (markdown format) that stores the project's purpose, folder mappings, update methods, verification instructions, etc. All subsequent new chats within that project will automatically share this memory. ## Skills: Built-in & Custom Skills are specialized knowledge packs that allow Codeex to repeat tasks consistently. Built-in skills include spreadsheet skills, PDF skills, and image generation skills (using GPT-2; prompt adherence and complex text work best). For example, use the image generation skill to create menu designs: "Create three different menu designs for 'Context Window'. Use @logo" (logo file is in the folder). Codeex will generate three menu images and automatically create a PDF. Custom skills are more powerful: first iterate back and forth to get satisfactory results, then ask "package this into a skill." Codeex will invoke the skill creator skill and turn it into a reusable workflow. In other chats, you can quickly invoke it with `@skillname` without repeating the setup. ## Automations: Scheduled Tasks Automation allows triggering workflows or skills on a schedule. For example, in the chat where you organized the folder, say: "Every morning at 6 AM, check this folder for new files, organize them into the appropriate subfolders as before. Then update the spreadsheet and dashboard with the new information." Codeex will create the automation and show it in the "Automations" tab. You can test it by clicking "Run" immediately. The result: new files are automatically moved to corresponding subfolders, and the dashboard data is updated synchronously. ## Permission Settings In settings, permission options are "Require Approval", "Approve for Me", and "Full Access." For initial use, it's recommended to use "Require Approval" to understand Codeex's actions. For daily use, "Approve for Me" is recommended; it only prompts for approval when potentially unsafe operations are detected, and rarely requires intervention. Full access is not recommended. ## Other Tips - **Side Chat**: You can open a sidebar chat that shares context with the main chat, allowing you to switch back and forth without interrupting the main task. - **Slash Commands**: Besides `/plan` and `/pet`, there is `/personality` to switch between "Friendly" and "Pragmatic". - **@ References**: Use @ in instructions to explicitly specify files, skills, plugins, or previous chats. - **Free Guide**: The official site provides a guide with 5 business task copy-paste prompts (creating briefs, data cleaning, workflow audits, etc.), available for free in the video description. --- Source: YouTube Video: Full OpenAI Codex Tutorial: Beginner to Advanced (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cuw0pBjZUOM)