75the active surface choose from the tools available to it. In ChatGPT, type `@`77the active surface choose from the tools available to it. In ChatGPT, type `@`
76in the composer to choose a specific plugin.78in the composer to choose a specific plugin.
77 79
78[Learn about plugins80[Learn about plugins](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/plugins)
79
80 81
82Find, install, and use plugins in ChatGPT and Codex.
81 83
82 <Plugin />
83 84
84 85
85 Find, install, and use plugins in ChatGPT and Codex.](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/plugins)
86
87### Personalize ChatGPT86### Personalize ChatGPT
88 87
89Put preferences that should apply across chats in **Settings > Personalization**88Put preferences that should apply across chats in **Settings > Personalization**
90as custom instructions. Keep details that matter only to the current chat in the89as custom instructions. Keep details that matter only to the current chat in the
91prompt.90prompt.
92 91
93[Review personalization settings92[Review personalization settings](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/reference/settings#personalization)
94
95
96 93
97 <Settings />94Set a default personality, custom instructions, and other app preferences.
98 95
99 96
100 Set a default personality, custom instructions, and other app preferences.](https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/reference/settings#personalization)
101 97
102## Set boundaries that prevent real problems98## Set boundaries that prevent real problems
103 99
3472. Select the code you care about (optional but recommended).3522. Select the code you care about (optional but recommended).
3483. Prompt Codex:3533. Prompt Codex:
349 354
350```text355 ```text
351 Explain how the request flows through the selected code.356 Explain how the request flows through the selected code.
352 357
353 Include:358 Include:
354 - a short summary of the responsibilities of each module involved359 - a short summary of the responsibilities of each module involved
355 - what data is validated and where360 - what data is validated and where
356 - one or two "gotchas" to watch for when changing this361 - one or two "gotchas" to watch for when changing this
357```362 ```
363
358 364
359</WorkflowSteps>365</WorkflowSteps>
360 366
372 379
3731. Start an interactive session:3801. Start an interactive session:
374 381
375```bash382 ```bash
376 codex383 codex
377```384 ```
385
378 386
3792. Attach the files (optional) and prompt:3872. Attach the files (optional) and prompt:
380 388
381```text389 ```text
382 I need to understand the protocol used by this service. Read @foo.ts @schema.ts and explain the schema and request/response flow. Focus on required vs optional fields and backward compatibility rules.390 I need to understand the protocol used by this service. Read @foo.ts @schema.ts and explain the schema and request/response flow. Focus on required vs optional fields and backward compatibility rules.
383```391 ```
392
384 393
385</WorkflowSteps>394</WorkflowSteps>
386 395
398 407
3991. Start Codex at the repo root:4081. Start Codex at the repo root:
400 409
401```bash410 ```bash
402 codex411 codex
403```412 ```
413
404 414
4052. Give Codex a reproduction recipe, plus the file(s) you suspect:4152. Give Codex a reproduction recipe, plus the file(s) you suspect:
406 416
407```text417 ```text
408 Bug: Clicking "Save" on the settings screen sometimes shows "Saved" but doesn't persist the change.418 Bug: Clicking "Save" on the settings screen sometimes shows "Saved" but doesn't persist the change.
409 419
410 Repro:420 Repro:
419 - Keep the fix minimal and add a regression test if feasible.429 - Keep the fix minimal and add a regression test if feasible.
420 430
421 Start by reproducing the bug locally, then propose a patch and run checks.431 Start by reproducing the bug locally, then propose a patch and run checks.
422```432 ```
433
423 434
424</WorkflowSteps>435</WorkflowSteps>
425 436
4441. Open the file where you think the bug lives, plus its nearest caller.4561. Open the file where you think the bug lives, plus its nearest caller.
4452. Prompt Codex:4572. Prompt Codex:
446 458
447```text459 ```text
448 Find the bug causing "Saved" to show without persisting changes. After proposing the fix, tell me how to verify it in the UI.460 Find the bug causing "Saved" to show without persisting changes. After proposing the fix, tell me how to verify it in the UI.
449```461 ```
462
450 463
451</WorkflowSteps>464</WorkflowSteps>
452 465
4622. Select the lines that define the function. Choose "Add to Codex Thread" from command palette to add these lines to the context.4752. Select the lines that define the function. Choose "Add to Codex Thread" from command palette to add these lines to the context.
4633. Prompt Codex:4763. Prompt Codex:
464 477
465```text478 ```text
466 Write a unit test for this function. Follow conventions used in other tests.479 Write a unit test for this function. Follow conventions used in other tests.
467```480 ```
481
468 482
469</WorkflowSteps>483</WorkflowSteps>
470 484
478 492
4791. Start Codex:4931. Start Codex:
480 494
481```bash495 ```bash
482 codex496 codex
483```497 ```
498
484 499
4852. Prompt with a function name:5002. Prompt with a function name:
486 501
487```text502 ```text
488 Add a test for the invert_list function in @transform.ts. Cover the happy path plus edge cases.503 Add a test for the invert_list function in @transform.ts. Cover the happy path plus edge cases.
489```504 ```
505
490 506
491</WorkflowSteps>507</WorkflowSteps>
492 508
5011. Save your screenshot locally (for example `./specs/ui.png`).5171. Save your screenshot locally (for example `./specs/ui.png`).
5022. Run Codex:5182. Run Codex:
503 519
504```bash520 ```bash
505 codex521 codex
506```522 ```
523
507 524
5083. Drag the image file into the terminal to attach it to the prompt.5253. Drag the image file into the terminal to attach it to the prompt.
509 526
5104. Follow up with constraints and structure:5274. Follow up with constraints and structure:
511 528
512```text529 ```text
513 Create a new dashboard based on this image.530 Create a new dashboard based on this image.
514 531
515 Constraints:532 Constraints:
520 - A new route/page that renders the UI537 - A new route/page that renders the UI
521 - Any small components needed538 - Any small components needed
522 - README.md with instructions to run it locally539 - README.md with instructions to run it locally
523```540 ```
541
524 542
525</WorkflowSteps>543</WorkflowSteps>
526 544
5441. Attach the image in the Codex chat (drag-and-drop or paste).5631. Attach the image in the Codex chat (drag-and-drop or paste).
5452. Prompt Codex:5642. Prompt Codex:
546 565
547```text566 ```text
548 Create a new settings page. Use the attached screenshot as the target UI.567 Create a new settings page. Use the attached screenshot as the target UI.
549 Follow design and visual patterns from other files in this project.568 Follow design and visual patterns from other files in this project.
550```569 ```
570
551 571
552</WorkflowSteps>572</WorkflowSteps>
553 573
561 581
5621. Start Codex:5821. Start Codex:
563 583
564```bash584 ```bash
565 codex585 codex
566```586 ```
587
567 588
5682. Start the dev server in a separate terminal window:5892. Start the dev server in a separate terminal window:
569 590
570```bash591 ```bash
571 npm run dev592 npm run dev
572```593 ```
594
573 595
5743. Prompt Codex to make changes:5963. Prompt Codex to make changes:
575 597
576```text598 ```text
577 Propose 2-3 styling improvements for the landing page.599 Propose 2-3 styling improvements for the landing page.
578```600 ```
601
579 602
5804. Pick a direction and iterate with small, specific prompts:6034. Pick a direction and iterate with small, specific prompts:
581 604
582```text605 ```text
583 Go with option 2.606 Go with option 2.
584 607
585 Change only the header:608 Change only the header:
586 - make the typography more editorial609 - make the typography more editorial
587 - increase whitespace610 - increase whitespace
588 - ensure it still looks good on mobile611 - ensure it still looks good on mobile
589```612 ```
613
590 614
5915. Repeat with focused requests:6155. Repeat with focused requests:
592 616
593```text617 ```text
594 Next iteration: reduce visual noise.618 Next iteration: reduce visual noise.
595 Keep the layout, but simplify colors and remove any redundant borders.619 Keep the layout, but simplify colors and remove any redundant borders.
596```620 ```
621
597 622
598</WorkflowSteps>623</WorkflowSteps>
599 624
6141. Make sure your current work is committed or at least stashed so you can compare changes cleanly.6391. Make sure your current work is committed or at least stashed so you can compare changes cleanly.
6152. Ask Codex to produce a refactor plan. If you have the `$plan` skill available, invoke it explicitly:6402. Ask Codex to produce a refactor plan. If you have the `$plan` skill available, invoke it explicitly:
616 641
617```text642 ```text
618 $plan643 $plan
619 644
620 We need to refactor the auth subsystem to:645 We need to refactor the auth subsystem to:
626 - No user-visible behavior changes651 - No user-visible behavior changes
627 - Keep public APIs stable652 - Keep public APIs stable
628 - Include a step-by-step migration plan653 - Include a step-by-step migration plan
629```654 ```
655
630 656
6313. Review the plan and negotiate changes:6573. Review the plan and negotiate changes:
632 658
633```text659 ```text
634 Revise the plan to:660 Revise the plan to:
635 - specify exactly which files move in each milestone661 - specify exactly which files move in each milestone
636 - include a rollback strategy662 - include a rollback strategy
637```663 ```
664
638 665
639</WorkflowSteps>666</WorkflowSteps>
640 667
6502. Click on the cloud icon beneath the prompt composer and select your cloud environment.6772. Click on the cloud icon beneath the prompt composer and select your cloud environment.
6513. When you enter the next prompt, Codex creates a new chat in the cloud that carries over the existing chat context (including the plan and any local source changes).6783. When you enter the next prompt, Codex creates a new chat in the cloud that carries over the existing chat context (including the plan and any local source changes).
652 679
653```text680 ```text
654 Implement Milestone 1 from the plan.681 Implement Milestone 1 from the plan.
655```682 ```
683
656 684
6574. Review the cloud diff, iterate if needed.6854. Review the cloud diff, iterate if needed.
658 686
676 704
6771. Start Codex:7051. Start Codex:
678 706
679```bash707 ```bash
680 codex708 codex
681```709 ```
710
682 711
6832. Run the review command:7122. Run the review command:
684 713
685```text714 ```text
686 /review715 /review
687```716 ```
717
688 718
6893. Optional: provide custom focus instructions:7193. Optional: provide custom focus instructions:
690 720
691```text721 ```text
692 /review Focus on edge cases and security issues722 /review Focus on edge cases and security issues
693```723 ```
724
694 725
695</WorkflowSteps>726</WorkflowSteps>
696 727
7111. Open the pull request on GitHub.7421. Open the pull request on GitHub.
7122. Leave a comment that tags Codex with explicit focus areas:7432. Leave a comment that tags Codex with explicit focus areas:
713 744
714```text745 ```text
715 @codex review746 @codex review
716```747 ```
748
717 749
7183. Optional: Provide more explicit instructions.7503. Optional: Provide more explicit instructions.
719 751
720```text752 ```text
721 @codex review for security vulnerabilities and security concerns753 @codex review for security vulnerabilities and security concerns
722```754 ```
755
723 756
724</WorkflowSteps>757</WorkflowSteps>
725 758
7341. Identify the doc file(s) to change and open them (IDE) or `@` mention them (IDE or CLI).7671. Identify the doc file(s) to change and open them (IDE) or `@` mention them (IDE or CLI).
7352. Prompt Codex with scope and validation requirements:7682. Prompt Codex with scope and validation requirements:
736 769
737```text770 ```text
738 Update the "advanced features" documentation to provide authentication troubleshooting guidance. Verify that all links are valid.771 Update the "advanced features" documentation to provide authentication troubleshooting guidance. Verify that all links are valid.
739```772 ```
773
740 774
7413. After Codex drafts the changes, review the documentation and iterate as needed.7753. After Codex drafts the changes, review the documentation and iterate as needed.
742 776
