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name: codex-cli-interactive description: Run interactive Codex CLI sessions using tmux-cli for code review, audit, refactoring, and multi-turn conversations with OpenAI Codex

Codex Interactive Skill

Run Codex CLI sessions via tmux-cli for code review, security audits, refactoring, and multi-turn conversations.

Prerequisites

• tmux (v3+) and tmux-cli installed and on PATH
• Codex CLI (codex) installed and authenticated with OpenAI credentials
• zsh shell available

Quick Start (Default Config)

Defaults: gpt-5-codex, high reasoning, read-only sandbox, 30s idle-time.

# 1. Setup (run each line separately)
tmux has-session -t tmux-cli 2>/dev/null || tmux new-session -d -s tmux-cli
CODEX_PANE=$(tmux split-window -t tmux-cli -h -P -F '#{session_name}:#{window_index}.#{pane_index}' zsh)
echo "PANE: $CODEX_PANE"

# 2. Start Codex
tmux-cli send "cd $(pwd) && codex -m gpt-5-codex -c model_reasoning_effort=\"high\" -s read-only" --pane=$CODEX_PANE && \
tmux-cli wait_idle --pane=$CODEX_PANE --idle-time=30.0

# 3. Send prompt + capture (repeat for each interaction)
tmux-cli send "<YOUR_PROMPT>" --pane=$CODEX_PANE && \
tmux-cli wait_idle --pane=$CODEX_PANE --idle-time=30.0 && \
tmux-cli capture --pane=$CODEX_PANE

# 4. End session
tmux-cli send "/exit" --pane=$CODEX_PANE && \
tmux-cli wait_idle --pane=$CODEX_PANE --idle-time=5.0 && \
tmux kill-pane -t $CODEX_PANE

Task Presets

Use these configurations based on task type:

Task	Model	Reasoning	Sandbox	Idle Time
Code review	gpt-5-codex	high	read-only	30s
Security audit	gpt-5-codex	high	read-only	60s
Refactoring (analyze)	gpt-5-codex	high	read-only	30s
Refactoring (apply)	gpt-5-codex	medium	workspace-write	30s
Full access	gpt-5	high	danger-full-access	60s

Permission required: Ask user before using workspace-write or danger-full-access sandbox modes.

Core Operations

Send + Capture Pattern

Always chain these together:

tmux-cli send "<PROMPT>" --pane=$CODEX_PANE && \
tmux-cli wait_idle --pane=$CODEX_PANE --idle-time=30.0 && \
tmux-cli capture --pane=$CODEX_PANE

Check Session Status

tmux list-panes -t tmux-cli -F '#{pane_id} #{pane_current_command}'

Interrupt Long Task

tmux-cli interrupt --pane=$CODEX_PANE

Configuration Overrides

Only ask user for config (via AskUserQuestion) when:

• User explicitly requests different settings
• Task requires write access (workspace-write or danger-full-access)
• Multiple reasonable approaches exist

Otherwise, use defaults and proceed immediately.

Error Handling

• Codex exits unexpectedly: capture output to see error, restart from step 1
• Pane closes: check tmux list-panes -t tmux-cli, recreate pane and update CODEX_PANE
• wait_idle hangs/times out: increase idle-time (+15s), or use tmux-cli interrupt --pane=$CODEX_PANE then retry
• Auth issues: user must fix credentials outside session

Notes

• Use short flags: -m (model), -c (config), -s (sandbox)
• Never use tmux-cli launch - use tmux split-window -t tmux-cli
• Default idle-time is 30s; use 60s for security audits or complex tasks
• Summarize Codex findings for user after capturing output
• Clean up panes when done to avoid resource leaks