What's Happening
On February 2, 2026, OpenAI launched the Codex app for macOS - a standalone application designed to manage multiple AI coding agents simultaneously. This isn't another VS Code fork. It's a purpose-built command center for developers who want to delegate coding tasks to AI agents and let them work in parallel.
The launch puts OpenAI in direct competition with Anthropic's Claude Code (which hit $1 billion ARR just six months after launch) and Cursor (with 360K+ paying users). Within 48 hours of release, over a million developers have tried Codex.
Key Features
Multi-Agent Parallel Execution
The headline feature is running multiple agents at once. Each agent works in an isolated worktree, so you can have one agent building a feature, another fixing tests, and a third refactoring code - all simultaneously without conflicts. OpenAI demonstrated this by having Codex build an entire racing game with eight maps, multiple racers, and power-ups from a single prompt, consuming over 7 million tokens.
Skills Library
Skills extend what agents can do beyond code generation. OpenAI has published a library including tools to fetch design context from Figma, manage projects in Linear, deploy to Cloudflare and Vercel, generate images using GPT Image, and create professional documents. You can create custom skills or let agents auto-select the right ones for each task.
Automations
Set up scheduled tasks that run automatically - daily issue triage, CI failure summaries, release briefs, bug checks. Currently, Automations only run while your laptop is powered on, but OpenAI confirms cloud-based triggers are coming for truly unattended background work.
Plan Mode
Before executing complex changes, Codex can read through everything in read-only mode and discuss with you first. This lets you build confidence before sending agents off to work independently.
Codex vs Cursor: Different Philosophies
This isn't really an apples-to-apples comparison. They represent two fundamentally different approaches to AI-assisted development:
Cursor is an AI-native IDE that works alongside you in real-time. It feels like a thoughtful pair programmer embedded in your editor - aware of your project, making changes that feel natural within your editing flow. It's faster for single, focused tasks due to local execution.
Codex operates as an autonomous agent that spins up cloud environments, runs builds, executes tests, and produces results while you do something else. The philosophy is task-centric: describe an outcome and Codex orchestrates tools to get there. It feels more like a team member than a tool.
Early developer feedback suggests: use Cursor for day-to-day coding and immediate feedback. Use Codex when you have multiple complex tasks that can run in parallel without your constant attention.
Pricing & Access
For a limited time, OpenAI is including Codex with ChatGPT Free and Go plans. Paid tiers get doubled rate limits:
- Plus ($20/month): Doubled limits - most developers report working comfortably here
- Pro ($200/month): Removes most roadblocks for heavy users
- Business/Enterprise: Doubled limits with team features
The app is currently macOS only. Windows support is confirmed but no date announced. This has prompted some grumbling from developers about platform availability.
What About Non-Coding Work?
While Codex focuses on automating coding tasks, developers still need to handle the non-code parts of their workflow - documentation, technical writing, research, and communication.
Tools like Elephas complement Codex by providing system-wide AI assistance for writing tasks across any Mac app. Document your code decisions, draft technical specs, organize research notes, and write project communications - all with AI that understands your personal context through its Super Brain feature that learns from your documents.
Try Elephas free to see how AI writing assistance fits alongside your coding workflow.
What's Next
OpenAI is clearly positioning Codex as a platform, not just an app. Expect:
- Cloud-based Automations: Scheduled tasks that run even when your laptop is closed
- Windows support: Confirmed coming, no timeline
- More Skills: First-party and community-built extensions
- Deeper integrations: More project management and deployment tools
Key takeaway: The Codex app won't replace Cursor or Claude Code for daily coding, but it's unmatched for multi-agent workflows. The winners will be developers who strategically combine these tools rather than committing to a single approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the OpenAI Codex app?
The OpenAI Codex app is a native macOS application that serves as a command center for managing multiple AI coding agents. It lets developers run tasks in parallel using built-in worktrees and cloud environments, with features like Skills for extending agent capabilities and Automations for scheduled tasks.
Is the Codex app free?
Yes, for a limited time OpenAI is including Codex with ChatGPT Free and Go plans. Plus ($20/month), Pro ($200/month), Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans get doubled rate limits. Most developers report they can work comfortably on the Plus plan without hitting limits.
How does Codex compare to Cursor?
Codex and Cursor represent different philosophies. Cursor is an AI-native IDE focused on real-time pair programming within your editor, best for immediate feedback on focused tasks. Codex is a task-centric agent manager that runs autonomous work in sandboxed environments, best for parallel multi-agent workflows where you delegate and supervise rather than pair program.
Is Codex available on Windows?
Currently, the Codex app is macOS only. OpenAI has confirmed Windows support is coming soon, but no specific date has been announced. The web-based Codex Cloud is available on any platform.
