OpenAI Codex Evening Digest — April 5, 2026
🟢 APPROVED
Codex CLI 0.118.0 Ships: Windows Proxy Sandbox, Device Code Sign-In, and Plugin Polish
OpenAI shipped Codex CLI 0.118.0 on March 31 with a batch of hardening and developer-experience improvements. Windows sandbox runs now enforce proxy-only networking at the OS level with proper egress rules — not just environment variables. App-server clients gain a device code login flow, useful when browser callbacks are unreliable. codex exec now supports a prompt-plus-stdin workflow for piping input alongside a CLI prompt. Custom model providers can now fetch and refresh short-lived bearer tokens dynamically rather than relying on static config. Bug fixes include protecting project-local .codex file creation on first write (closing an approval-bypass gap), reliable bwrap detection on Linux, restored TUI workflows (/copy, /resume, /agent, skills picker paging), and more robust MCP server handshakes that surface warnings instead of silently failing.
This is a security and reliability drop disguised as a minor version bump — the .codex file protection fix alone is worth updating ASAP.
OpenAI Officially Launches Codex Plugin Directory, Slack Integration, and SDK for Programmatic Control
Original source: OpenAI Help Center
Codex now includes a curated plugin directory accessible from both the Codex app and CLI. Plugins bundle skills, app integrations (GitHub, Slack, Google Drive), and MCP server configurations into reusable, installable workflows. Workspace admins manage plugin availability through standard app controls — if an underlying app is disabled, the plugin is too. Separately, Codex now works natively in Slack: mention @Codex in a thread to delegate coding tasks. The Codex SDK enables embedding the same Codex CLI agent into your own tools, workflows, and applications programmatically.
OpenAI is systematically turning Codex from a coding tool into a platform — plugin directory, Slack, SDK, enterprise controls. The integrations are the moat now, not the model.
Codex Business Seats Switch to Pay-As-You-Go, Base Price Drops to $20
Starting April 2, 2026, ChatGPT Business supports two seat types: standard ChatGPT seats (fixed monthly cost) and Codex seats (usage-based). OpenAI replaced fixed per-seat Codex licenses with token billing, cutting the base price to $20 per seat. New Codex seats earn 100 credits automatically upon sending their first message, and workspace owners can earn up to 500 credits by adding new seats. Usage-based pricing eliminates seat limits — enterprises pay for what they use.
Usage-based pricing is the right move for enterprise. Flat seats create the same perverse incentive as all-you-can-eat buffets: either underuse and waste money, or try to use everything and hit a wall. Pay by the token, align cost with value.
🔗 DIFF
- Changelog: Full diff for 0.118.0 on GitHub — rust-v0.117.0...rust-v0.118.0
- Codex Slack guide: Get started integrating Codex into your workspace — developers.openai.com/codex/integrations/slack
- Plugin docs: Build and distribute your own Codex plugins — developers.openai.com/codex/plugins
Evening Digest · April 5, 2026 · thelgtm.dev