Claude To Openai Converter

Claude To OpenAI Converter

Convert Claude Code memory files, skills, slash commands, and subagents into the closest OpenAI/Codex form without doing a blind syntax rewrite.

Workflow

1. Inventory the Claude source before proposing edits. Use rg --files to look for:

• CLAUDE.md
• CLAUDE.local.md
• .claude/agents/*.md
• .claude/skills/**/SKILL.md
• .claude/commands/*.md
• .claude/settings.json

2. Classify each artifact by behavior, not filename.

• Project guidance and working conventions usually map to AGENTS.md.
• Reusable prompt workflows usually map to a Codex/OpenAI skill.
• Tool-gated specialist behavior may map to a skill, to repo instructions, or to an Agents SDK handoff design.
• Claude-only features such as subagent memory, worktree isolation, background execution, or hooks may require approximation rather than direct conversion.

3. Produce a conversion plan before editing. Include:

• Source inventory
• Proposed target for each source file
• Gaps or non-equivalent features
• Files to create or modify
• Validation steps

4. Convert incrementally. Preserve intent, constraints, and trigger conditions. Rewrite structure for the target platform instead of copying Claude frontmatter fields verbatim.

5. Validate the result.

• For Codex skills, run the local skill validator.
• For repo instructions, check that the guidance is concise, actionable, and placed where Codex will discover it.
• For API-oriented output, ensure tools and handoffs are described as explicit tool-calling flows.

Target Selection

Default to the smallest target that preserves behavior.

Convert to AGENTS.md

Use AGENTS.md when the Claude source primarily describes:

• repository conventions
• architecture notes
• test commands
• review/checklist expectations
• coding style or workflow constraints

Convert to a Codex/OpenAI skill

Use a skill when the Claude source is a reusable workflow with a clear trigger, such as:

• a custom slash command
• a Claude skill directory
• a specialized migration or analysis playbook
• a focused expert behavior that is mostly prompt-driven

When building a skill, keep SKILL.md concise and move detail into references/, scripts/, or assets/ only when needed.

Convert to an API or Agents SDK design

Use this path when the Claude source depends on runtime orchestration rather than static prompt instructions, such as:

• explicit agent handoffs
• multiple specialists with separate contexts
• structured tool-calling requirements
• application-managed state or tool outputs

In that case, produce:

• agent role definitions
• tool schemas
• handoff rules
• a short implementation plan for Responses API or Agents SDK integration

Mapping Rules

Read claude-formats.md and openai-targets.md before converting unfamiliar constructs.

Use this default mapping:

• CLAUDE.md -> AGENTS.md
• .claude/commands/*.md -> a Codex skill, unless it is just general project guidance
• .claude/skills/*/SKILL.md -> a Codex skill with rewritten frontmatter and resource layout
• .claude/agents/*.md -> either a Codex skill plus AGENTS.md guidance, or an Agents SDK design if true agent delegation is required

Do not assume a Claude subagent always becomes an OpenAI skill. Separate-context delegation is often a runtime concern, not a static skill concern.

Output Contract

Before making edits, present a compact plan with these headings:

• Inventory
• Target mapping
• Conversion plan
• Open questions

After the plan, implement the conversion unless a major target ambiguity makes that risky.

When reporting non-equivalences, be explicit:

• what Claude feature exists
• whether OpenAI/Codex has a direct equivalent
• what approximation you are using
• what behavior is lost or moved into application code

Implementation Notes

• Prefer preserving semantics over preserving filenames.
• Keep descriptions trigger-oriented. They are the main activation mechanism for skills and subagents.
• If converting to a Codex skill, include agents/openai.yaml metadata that matches the skill.
• If converting to AGENTS.md, compress guidance and remove Claude-specific UI references like /memory or /agents.
• If converting to API tools, express Claude capabilities as explicit tool schemas and tool-call loops.

References

• Claude source formats: claude-formats.md
• OpenAI/Codex targets: openai-targets.md
• Conversion checklist: conversion-checklist.md