cli/features.md Codex Docs, 2026-02-19 20:37 UTC → 2026-02-23 18:27 UTC

1# Codex CLI features1# Codex CLI features

2 2 

3Overview of functionality in the Codex terminal client

4 

5Codex supports workflows beyond chat. Use this guide to learn what each one unlocks and when to use it.3Codex supports workflows beyond chat. Use this guide to learn what each one unlocks and when to use it.

6 4 

7## Running in interactive mode5## Running in interactive mode

192- Launch Codex from any directory using `codex --cd <path>` to set the working root without running `cd` first. The active path appears in the TUI header.190- Launch Codex from any directory using `codex --cd <path>` to set the working root without running `cd` first. The active path appears in the TUI header.

193- Expose more writable roots with `--add-dir` (for example, `codex --cd apps/frontend --add-dir ../backend --add-dir ../shared`) when you need to coordinate changes across more than one project.191- Expose more writable roots with `--add-dir` (for example, `codex --cd apps/frontend --add-dir ../backend --add-dir ../shared`) when you need to coordinate changes across more than one project.

194- Make sure your environment is already set up before launching Codex so it doesn't spend tokens probing what to activate. For example, source your Python virtual environment (or other language environments), start any required daemons, and export the environment variables you expect to use ahead of time.192- Make sure your environment is already set up before launching Codex so it doesn't spend tokens probing what to activate. For example, source your Python virtual environment (or other language environments), start any required daemons, and export the environment variables you expect to use ahead of time.

195 

196[Previous

197 

198Overview](https://developers.openai.com/codex/cli)[Next

199 

200Command Line Options](https://developers.openai.com/codex/cli/reference)