Filed under Codex

A handoff should let someone resume the work without replaying every exploratory turn. Give them the state they need to make the next decision. Ask for the working directory, branch, source revision, changed files…

A generated file can look like the obvious place to fix a typo. The next build may overwrite that edit and bring the problem back. Ask Codex to trace the file to its generator or source collection before changing it…

If you paste the same cleanup instructions every week, the reusable asset is the procedure and its examples, not the conversation history. Start with one narrow task such as checking the required columns in a synthetic…

A command can print plausible output and still fail. Your next automation step should require successful completion and a valid artifact. For a Codex report job, capture the process status and validate the saved report…

Before applying a mechanical change across a repository, prove it on a file whose intended result you can inspect completely. Create an isolated worktree and choose a small example with one normal case and one…

A skill can look excellent on the example it was written for. A nearby request outside its scope reveals whether its boundary is clear. For a skill that validates a sales CSV, add one accepted fixture and one request to…

A useful answer can disappear from your working process if it exists only in the conversation. Save the result where the next step expects to find it. For an automated repository summary, use the documented…

A temporary instruction can outlive the problem it was meant to solve. Later, Codex appears to ignore the team's normal convention for no obvious reason. When you introduce an instruction override, record why it exists…

A task may need to edit a local script while having no reason to contact a production service. Treat those permissions as separate decisions. Before automating with Codex, inspect the effective sandbox and approval…

“Review carefully” gives a code reviewer little to prioritize. A business invariant tells it which mistakes matter. Suppose an import must preserve every valid order and put invalid rows in an exception file. Add that…

A review comment becomes useful when another person can reproduce the problem. A confident severity label alone does not establish that the code is wrong. For each consequential Codex finding, ask for the triggering…

When cron or CI runs Codex, it starts wherever the scheduler started, so relative paths can point at the wrong project. Set the working directory in the command instead of inheriting it. You need: the Codex CLI, a…

A report that feeds another program needs stable fields. A heading that changes from “Risks” to “Things to watch” can break a fragile text parser. For a repository audit, define a small JSON Schema containing the file…

An automation should not mistake a progress update for its final report. Choose the output channel your parser actually needs. The documented codex exec flow sends progress to stderr and the final agent message to…

A correct change in the wrong checkout is still the wrong delivery. Before a Codex task starts, establish its directory, branch and base revision. After the task, inspect the diff and run the relevant checks in that…

A reusable skill needs a clear reason to be selected. “Helps with documents” is too broad to distinguish an invoice check from a presentation rewrite. Write a description that names the job, the expected input and a…

When Codex ignores a rule in AGENTS.md, check which instruction files it loaded before you add another rule. A new rule can make the conflict harder to see. You need: the Codex CLI and a repository with at least one…