Codex

Codex Code Review Skill

Version: 1.1.0 Author: Community-contributed Requires: Codex CLI installed and configured

Overview

Use the Codex CLI to perform independent code reviews on changes made during your Claude Code session. This enables a "proposer-checker-maker-checker" workflow where Claude Code proposes/implements changes and Codex provides an independent review.

Why use this skill instead of the MCP? The mcp__multi-llm__code_review tool has hard timeout limitations that fail on large codebases. Running via Bash allows:

• No timeout constraints (configurable up to 10 min per call)
• Background execution with run_in_background: true for very large reviews
• Progress checking via TaskOutput

Pair-Programming Flow (Codex thinks first, every time)

Per global CLAUDE.md the canonical loop is: (1) Codex analyzes → (2) you implement the plan → (3) Codex reviews the diff → (4) fix until approved. This applies to every code change regardless of size.

Step 1 input bundle (NON-NEGOTIABLE - before any prompt reaches Codex)

For any bug-fix or AC-driven change, the input bundle sent to Codex MUST contain BOTH the bug ticket AND the parent user story, plus a labeled discrepancy framing paragraph. Codex without the parent user story will frequently propose a symptom fix; with the user story it proposes a contract-conformance fix. The 30-second cost of the bundle saves a rework cycle.

Before sending a problem to Codex:

1. Pull the bug ticket from ADO (or the equivalent source-system record) using ADO_PAT_NEW from devops/.env.local with ?$expand=relations. Capture System.Description, Microsoft.VSTS.TCM.ReproSteps, comments, attachments.

2. Pull the parent user story. From the bug ticket's relations array, find System.LinkTypes.Hierarchy-Reverse, parse the work-item id off the URL, fetch that work item. Read System.Description, Microsoft.VSTS.Common.AcceptanceCriteria (Acceptance Criteria), Microsoft.VSTS.TCM.ReproSteps, attachments IN FULL.

3. Write a 4-line discrepancy framing block and paste it at the top of the Codex prompt:

   USER STORY: <verbatim AcceptanceCriteria>
   BUG: <verbatim repro / symptom>
   CURRENT CODE/DB: <observed behavior, with file:line citations>
   DISCREPANCY: <where the gap is - what the user story requires that current code does not deliver>
   

4. Codex receives all four (user story, bug, current state, discrepancy) as input, not just the bug ticket alone.

If the bug has no Hierarchy-Reverse parent, STOP and surface to the user. Do not invent a parent. Do not send Codex a bug-ticket-only prompt and hope. See memory [[feedback_pull_parent_user_story_first]] for the rule and incident pattern (it is the bug-ticket-to-user-story extension of [[feedback_source_of_truth_before_replication_brief]] and [[feedback_access_hub_source_of_truth_hierarchy]]).

Step 3 review input

When the diff is ready, paste git diff PLUS the same 4-line discrepancy framing block from Step 1 into the Codex review prompt. Codex's review checks the diff against the user story AC, not just the symptom in the bug ticket.

CLI fallback (when MCP is unavailable)

The same 4-line framing mandate applies to the CLI fallback (codex exec --sandbox read-only --full-auto "<prompt>"). The prompt the CLI receives MUST include the bug + parent user story + 4-line USER STORY / BUG / CURRENT CODE / DISCREPANCY block. A CLI-fallback prompt missing the parent user story is the same shallow-context failure mode as an MCP prompt missing it - the surface is different, the failure is identical.

Acceptance check before sending anything to Codex (MCP or CLI):

• Bug ticket pulled with $expand=relations?
• Parent user story fetched via System.LinkTypes.Hierarchy-Reverse?
• Verbatim AcceptanceCriteria text in the prompt?
• 4-line USER STORY / BUG / CURRENT CODE / DISCREPANCY block at the top of the prompt?
• Patch acceptance bar stated as "satisfies the parent AC", not "closes the bug symptom"?

If any check fails, regenerate the prompt before sending.

Prerequisites

Install the Codex CLI:

brew install codex-cli
# OR download from https://codex.storage.googleapis.com

Configure your OpenAI API key:

codex login

Use the Codex CLI to review recent changes, implementation plans, or specific files.

For Large Codebases

When reviewing large changes (50+ files, major refactors), run in background mode:

# Use run_in_background: true in the Bash tool
codex review "Comprehensive review of all changes since v2.0"

Then check progress with TaskOutput tool using the returned task_id.

Review Recent Git Changes

# Review uncommitted changes
codex review "Review the uncommitted changes in this repo"

# Review specific commit
codex review "Review the changes in commit <hash>"

# Review changes between branches
codex review "Review the diff between main and current branch"

Review Specific Files

# Review a specific file
codex review "Review the code in <file_path>"

# Review multiple files
codex review "Review the implementation in <file1> and <file2>"

Review Implementation Plan

# Review a plan before implementation
codex review "Review this implementation plan: <plan_content>"

Usage Pattern

1. Identify what needs review (recent changes, specific files, or a plan)
2. Run codex review with appropriate prompt
3. Present the review results to the user

The codex review command runs non-interactively and returns feedback that can be incorporated into the Claude Code session.

Workflow Example

User: I just implemented user authentication
Claude: [implements auth.ts, auth-middleware.ts, etc.]
User: /codex
Claude: [runs: codex review --uncommitted]
Claude: Codex found 2 issues:
  1. Missing error handling in auth.ts:45
  2. Password hash strength could be improved
User: Fix those issues
Claude: [fixes issues]
User: /codex
Claude: [runs review again]
Claude: Codex approves! No issues found.

Notes

• Works best in git repositories
• Review results are shown inline in the Claude Code session
• Combines well with Claude's implementation capabilities for a robust development workflow