use-cases/learn-a-new-concept.md Codex Docs, 2026-04-15 06:44 UTC → 2026-05-02 06:45 UTC

1# Learn a new concept | Codex use cases1# Learn a new concept | Codex use cases

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3Codex use cases

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5![](/assets/OpenAI-black-wordmark.svg)

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7![Codex](/assets/OAI_Codex-Lockup_Fallback_Black.svg)

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9Codex use case

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11# Learn a new concept

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13Turn dense source material into a clear, reviewable learning report.

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15Difficulty **Intermediate**

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17Time horizon **30m**

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19Use Codex to study material such as research papers or courses, split the reading across subagents, gather context, and produce a Markdown report with diagrams.

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21## Best for

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23 - Individuals learning about an unfamiliar concept

24- Dense source material that benefits from parallel reading, context gathering, diagrams, and a written synthesis

25- Turning a one-off reading session into a reusable Markdown report with citations, glossary terms

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27# Contents

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3[← All use cases](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases)29[← All use cases](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases)

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5Copy page [Export as PDF](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/learn-a-new-concept/?export=pdf)31Copy page [Export as PDF](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/learn-a-new-concept/?export=pdf)

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23## Skills & Plugins49## Skills & Plugins

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25- [ImageGen](https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.curated/imagegen)51- ImageGen

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27 Generate illustrative, non-exact visual assets when a Markdown-native diagram is not enough.53 Generate illustrative, non-exact visual assets when a Mermaid diagram is not enough.

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29| Skill | Why use it |55| Skill | Why use it |

30| --- | --- |56| --- | --- |

31| [ImageGen](https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.curated/imagegen) | Generate illustrative, non-exact visual assets when a Markdown-native diagram is not enough. |57| ImageGen | Generate illustrative, non-exact visual assets when a Mermaid diagram is not enough. |

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33## Starter prompt59## Starter prompt

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49 - separate what the paper claims from your interpretation75 - separate what the paper claims from your interpretation

50 - call out missing background, assumptions, and follow-up reading76 - call out missing background, assumptions, and follow-up reading

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78[Open in the Codex app](codex://new?prompt=I+want+to+learn+a+new+concept+from+this+research+paper%3A+%5Bpaper+path+or+URL%5D.%0A%0APlease+run+this+as+a+subagent+workflow%3A%0A-+Spawn+one+subagent+to+map+the+paper%27s+problem+statement%2C+contribution%2C+method%2C+experiments%2C+and+limitations.%0A-+Spawn+one+subagent+to+gather+prerequisite+context+and+explain+the+background+terms+I+need.%0A-+Spawn+one+subagent+to+inspect+the+figures%2C+tables%2C+notation%2C+and+any+claims+that+need+careful+verification.%0A-+Wait+for+all+subagents%2C+reconcile+disagreements%2C+and+avoid+overclaiming+beyond+the+source+material.%0A%0AFinal+output%3A%0A-+create+%60notes%2F%5Bconcept-name%5D-report.md%60%0A-+include+an+executive+summary%2C+glossary%2C+paper+walkthrough%2C+concept+map%2C+method+diagram%2C+evidence+table%2C+caveats%2C+and+open+questions%0A-+use+Markdown-native+Mermaid+diagrams+where+diagrams+help%0A-+use+imagegen+to+generate+illustrative%2C+non-exact+visual+assets+when+a+Markdown-native+diagram+is+not+enough%0A-+cite+paper+sections%2C+pages%2C+figures%2C+or+tables+whenever+possible%0A%0AConstraints%3A%0A-+do+not+treat+the+paper+as+ground+truth+if+the+evidence+is+weak%0A-+separate+what+the+paper+claims+from+your+interpretation%0A-+call+out+missing+background%2C+assumptions%2C+and+follow-up+reading "Open in the Codex app")

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52 I want to learn a new concept from this research paper: [paper path or URL].80 I want to learn a new concept from this research paper: [paper path or URL].

53 Please run this as a subagent workflow:81 Please run this as a subagent workflow:

54- Spawn one subagent to map the paper's problem statement, contribution, method, experiments, and limitations.82- Spawn one subagent to map the paper's problem statement, contribution, method, experiments, and limitations.

135- An experiment map that connects datasets, metrics, baselines, and reported claims.163- An experiment map that connects datasets, metrics, baselines, and reported claims.

136- A limitations diagram that separates assumptions, failure modes, and open questions.164- A limitations diagram that separates assumptions, failure modes, and open questions.

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138For Markdown-first reports, ask for Mermaid when the destination supports it, or a small checked-in SVG/PNG asset when it does not. Ask Codex to use imagegen only when you need an illustrative, non-exact visual or something that doesn’t fit in a Markdown-native diagram.166For Markdown-first reports, ask for Mermaid when the destination supports it, or a small checked-in SVG/PNG asset when it does not. Ask Codex to use the imagegen system skill, which comes with Codex by default, only when you need an illustrative, non-exact visual or something that doesn't fit in a Markdown-native diagram.

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140## Write the Markdown report168## Write the Markdown report

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226Use Codex to gather approved new-hire context, stage tracker updates, draft team-by-team...254Use Codex to gather approved new-hire context, stage tracker updates, draft team-by-team...

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228Integrations Data](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/new-hire-onboarding)[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-3.webp)256Integrations Data](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/new-hire-onboarding)[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-1.webp)

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230### Generate slide decks258### Query tabular data

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232Use Codex to update existing presentations or build new decks by editing slides directly...260Use Codex with a CSV, spreadsheet, dashboard export, Google Sheet, or local data file to...

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234Data Integrations](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/generate-slide-decks)[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-2.webp)262Data Knowledge Work](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/analyze-data-export)[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-3.webp)

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236### Analyze datasets and ship reports264### Turn feedback into actions

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238Use Codex to clean data, join sources, explore hypotheses, model results, and package the...266Connect Codex to multiple data sources such as Slack, GitHub, Linear, or Google Drive to...

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240Data Analysis](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/datasets-and-reports)268Data Integrations](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/feedback-synthesis)