use-cases/agent-friendly-clis.md Codex Docs, 2026-04-15 06:44 UTC → 2026-05-07 20:02 UTC

1# Create a CLI Codex can use | Codex use cases1---

2name: Create a CLI Codex can use

3tagline: Give Codex a composable command for an API, log source, export, or team script.

4summary: Ask Codex to create a composable CLI it can run from any folder,

5 combine with repo scripts, use to download files, and remember through a

6 companion skill.

7skills:

8 - token: $cli-creator

9 url: https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.curated/cli-creator

10 description: Design the command surface, build the CLI, add setup and auth

11 checks, install the command on PATH, and verify it from another folder.

12 - token: $skill-creator

13 url: https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.system/skill-creator

14 description: Create the companion skill that teaches later Codex tasks which CLI

15 commands to run first and which write actions require approval.

16bestFor:

17 - Repeated work where Codex needs to search, read, download from, or safely

18 write to the same service, export, local archive, or repo script.

19 - Agent tools that need paged search, exact reads by ID, predictable JSON,

20 downloaded files, local indexes, or draft-before-write commands.

21starterPrompt:

22 title: Build a CLI and companion skill

23 body: >-

24 Use $cli-creator to create a CLI you can use, and use $skill-creator to

25 create the companion skill in this same thread.

26 

27 

28 Source to learn from: [docs URL, OpenAPI spec, redacted curl command,

29 existing script path, log folder, CSV or JSON export, SQLite database path,

30 or pasted --help output].

31 

32 

33 First job the CLI should support: [download failed CI logs from a build URL,

34 search support tickets and read one by ID, query an admin API, read a local

35 database, or run one step from an existing script].

36 

37 

38 Optional write job: [create a draft comment, upload media, retry a failed

39 job, or read-only for now].

2 40 

3[← All use cases](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases)

4 41 

5Copy page [Export as PDF](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/agent-friendly-clis/?export=pdf)

6 

7Ask Codex to create a composable CLI it can run from any folder, combine with repo scripts, use to download files, and remember through a companion skill.

8 

9Intermediate

10 

111h

12 

13Related links

14 

15[Codex skills](https://developers.openai.com/codex/skills) [Create custom skills](https://developers.openai.com/codex/skills/create-skill)

16 

17## Best for

18 

19- Repeated work where Codex needs to search, read, download from, or safely write to the same service, export, local archive, or repo script.

20- Agent tools that need paged search, exact reads by ID, predictable JSON, downloaded files, local indexes, or draft-before-write commands.

21 

22## Skills & Plugins

23 

24- [Cli Creator](https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.curated/cli-creator)

25 

26 Design the command surface, build the CLI, add setup and auth checks, install the command on PATH, and verify it from another folder.

27- [Skill Creator](https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.system/skill-creator)

28 

29 Create the companion skill that teaches later Codex tasks which CLI commands to run first and which write actions require approval.

30 

31| Skill | Why use it |

32| ------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

33| [Cli Creator](https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.curated/cli-creator) | Design the command surface, build the CLI, add setup and auth checks, install the command on PATH, and verify it from another folder. |

34| [Skill Creator](https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.system/skill-creator) | Create the companion skill that teaches later Codex tasks which CLI commands to run first and which write actions require approval. |

35 

36## Starter prompt

37 

38Use $cli-creator to create a CLI you can use, and use $skill-creator to create the companion skill in this same thread.

39Source to learn from: [docs URL, OpenAPI spec, redacted curl command, existing script path, log folder, CSV or JSON export, SQLite database path, or pasted --help output].

40First job the CLI should support: [download failed CI logs from a build URL, search support tickets and read one by ID, query an admin API, read a local database, or run one step from an existing script].

41Optional write job: [create a draft comment, upload media, retry a failed job, or read-only for now].

42 Command name: [cli-name, or recommend one].42 Command name: [cli-name, or recommend one].

43Before coding, show me the proposed command surface and ask only for missing details that would block the build.

44 43 

45Use $cli-creator to create a CLI you can use, and use $skill-creator to create the companion skill in this same thread.44 

46Source to learn from: [docs URL, OpenAPI spec, redacted curl command, existing script path, log folder, CSV or JSON export, SQLite database path, or pasted --help output].45 Before coding, show me the proposed command surface and ask only for missing

47First job the CLI should support: [download failed CI logs from a build URL, search support tickets and read one by ID, query an admin API, read a local database, or run one step from an existing script].46 details that would block the build.

48Optional write job: [create a draft comment, upload media, retry a failed job, or read-only for now].47relatedLinks:

49 Command name: [cli-name, or recommend one].48 - label: Codex skills

50Before coding, show me the proposed command surface and ask only for missing details that would block the build.49 url: /codex/skills

50 - label: Create custom skills

51 url: /codex/skills/create-skill

52---

51 53 

52## Introduction54## Introduction

53 55 

96 102 

97**Test the CLI like a future agent**103**Test the CLI like a future agent**

98 104 

99Test [cli-name] the way you would use it in a future task.

100Please show proof that:

101- command -v [cli-name] succeeds from outside the CLI source folder

102- [cli-name] --help explains the main commands

103- the setup/auth check runs

104- one safe discovery, list, or search command works

105- one exact read command works with an ID from the discovery result

106- any large log, export, trace, or payload writes to a file and returns the path

107- live write commands are not run unless I explicitly approved them

108Then read the companion skill and tell me the shortest prompt I should use when I need this CLI again.

109 

110If Codex returns a giant JSON blob, ask it to narrow the default response and add a file export for full payloads. If it forgets the approval boundary, ask it to update the companion skill before you use it in another thread.105If Codex returns a giant JSON blob, ask it to narrow the default response and add a file export for full payloads. If it forgets the approval boundary, ask it to update the companion skill before you use it in another thread.

111 106 

112## Use the skill later107## Use the skill later

113 108 

114When you need the CLI again, invoke the skill instead of pasting the docs again:109When you need the CLI again, invoke the skill instead of pasting the docs again:

115 110 

116Use $ci-logs to download the failed logs for this build URL and tell me the first failing step.

117 

118Use $support-export to search this week's refund complaints and read the three highest-value tickets.

119 

120Use $admin-api to find this user's workspace, read the billing record, and draft a safe account note.

121 

122For recurring work, test the skill once in a normal thread, then ask Codex to turn that same invocation into an automation.111For recurring work, test the skill once in a normal thread, then ask Codex to turn that same invocation into an automation.

123 

124## Related use cases

125 

126[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-1.webp)

127 

128### Create browser-based games

129 

130Use Codex to turn a game brief into first a well-defined plan, and then a real browser-based...

131 

132Engineering Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/browser-games)[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-1.webp)

133 

134### Save workflows as skills

135 

136Turn a working Codex thread, review rules, test commands, release checklists, design...

137 

138Engineering Workflow](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/reusable-codex-skills)[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-3.webp)

139 

140### Upgrade your API integration

141 

142Use Codex to update your existing OpenAI API integration to the latest recommended models...

143 

144Evaluation Engineering](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/api-integration-migrations)