Codex Plugin for Claude Code Guide [2026]: Review and Delegate from Claude Code

If you want the practical answer first, the Codex plugin for Claude Code is a bridge layer that lets you pull OpenAI Codex into a Claude Code workflow for reviews and delegated tasks. It is useful when you already live in Claude Code but want Codex as a second reviewer or background worker. It is not a replacement for learning either tool properly.

The official OpenAI GitHub README is refreshingly direct about that. It says the plugin is for Claude Code users who want an easy way to start using Codex from the workflow they already have. That framing matters because the plugin is really about interoperability, not product replacement.

What Is the Codex Plugin for Claude Code?

The plugin is an official OpenAI add-on for Claude Code that exposes Codex actions through slash commands inside Claude Code.

According to the README, the main jobs are:

• run a normal read-only Codex review,
• run a more aggressive adversarial review,
• delegate work to a Codex rescue subagent,
• check background status, fetch results, and cancel jobs.

That means the plugin is not pretending Claude Code and Codex are identical. It assumes they do different things well and gives you a bridge so you can use both inside one repo workflow.

What Do You Need Before You Install It?

OpenAI's README lists two requirements clearly:

• a ChatGPT subscription, including Free, or an OpenAI API key,
• Node.js 18.18 or later.

The same README also says usage contributes to your Codex usage limits, which is an important operational detail. This is not a “free extra reviewer” bolted onto Claude Code. It is Codex usage routed through your local Codex environment.

How Do You Install It?

The official install flow from the README is straightforward:

/plugin marketplace add openai/codex-plugin-cc
/plugin install codex@openai-codex
/reload-plugins
/codex:setup

If Codex is not installed and npm is available, /codex:setup can offer to install it. If you want to install Codex yourself, the README points to:

npm install -g @openai/codex
!codex login

That matters because the plugin uses your local Codex CLI and authentication state. It is not spinning up a separate OpenAI runtime somewhere else.

What Commands Does It Add?

The README currently documents these core commands:

• /codex:review for a normal read-only review,
• /codex:adversarial-review for a steerable challenge review,
• /codex:rescue to hand work to Codex through a rescue subagent,
• /codex:status to inspect background jobs,
• /codex:result to fetch final stored output,
• /codex:cancel to stop an active background job,
• /codex:setup to verify install and manage the review gate.

That command set makes the plugin most valuable in two cases:

1. you want a second opinion on code without changing editors or tools,
2. you want long-running or background work delegated to Codex while staying inside Claude Code.

The background workflow is especially important. OpenAI recommends using background mode for longer reviews and rescue tasks, then checking back with /codex:status and /codex:result.

What Does the Review Gate Actually Do?

This is the feature most people will either overuse or misunderstand.

The README says you can enable the review gate through:

/codex:setup --enable-review-gate
/codex:setup --disable-review-gate

When enabled, the plugin uses a Stop hook to run a targeted Codex review based on Claude's response. If that review finds issues, the stop is blocked so Claude can address them first.

That sounds powerful, and it is. But OpenAI also includes a warning: the review gate can create a long-running Claude/Codex loop and may drain usage limits quickly. That warning is the right way to think about the feature. It is a deliberate high-friction check for sessions you plan to watch closely, not a default you flip on forever.

When Does This Plugin Make Sense?

The plugin makes sense when all of these are true:

• you already like Claude Code as your primary environment,
• you want Codex as a reviewer or delegated worker rather than as your only agent,
• you are comfortable managing both tool ecosystems on one machine.

It makes less sense if you are still trying to decide whether you prefer Codex or Claude Code at a baseline level. In that case, you should learn each one natively first. Otherwise you can end up debugging the integration before you have a feel for either product.

It also makes less sense if your actual goal is broader assistant orchestration across messages, inboxes, operator workflows, and multi-channel automation. The plugin is still about coding work inside a repo. That is different from what OpenClaw is built to do.

Bottom Line

The new Codex plugin for Claude Code is a credible bridge because OpenAI kept the scope narrow and practical. It adds reviews, background delegation, status tracking, and a review gate, while still using your local Codex install and config.

That makes it appealing for teams that already like Claude Code but want Codex in the loop for pressure-testing, background work, or a second review path.

Just do not confuse that with a general assistant platform. It is still a developer workflow optimization, not a replacement for a broader operator system like OpenClaw.

If you want the broader comparison next, read OpenClaw vs Claude Code, OpenAI Codex Guide, and then browse the marketplace for the operator layer.

FAQ

Do I need a separate Codex account for the plugin?

No in the sense that the plugin uses your local Codex authentication rather than some separate hidden runtime. The README says that if you are already signed into Codex on the machine, that account should work immediately, and if not, you can sign in with a ChatGPT account or API key through Codex itself.

Does the plugin run its own separate Codex runtime?

No. OpenAI's README says the plugin delegates through your local Codex CLI and Codex app server on the same machine. That means it uses the same install, the same local authentication state, the same repository checkout, and the same machine-local environment you would use if you ran Codex directly.

What is the safest first command to try?

The safest first command is usually /codex:review --background followed by /codex:status and /codex:result. That keeps the first run read-only, lets you see how the plugin behaves in your repo, and avoids confusing the integration test with an agent that is also trying to modify code immediately.

Should I leave the review gate on all the time?

Probably not. OpenAI explicitly warns that the review gate can create long-running loops and burn through usage quickly. It is better treated as a deliberate quality-control setting for sessions you plan to monitor, not a default mode you enable blindly and forget about.