Codex Computer Use

The Codex CLI has no built-in browser or desktop control — no --browser, no --screenshot flag. Computer use is assembled from two primitives: an MCP server (Playwright) for driving a browser, and image input (-i) for verifying screenshots captured by external tools. The Codex app has an in-app browser and a Computer Use plugin, but those are app features, not CLI automation.

Command surface verified against codex-cli 0.142.5; on flag errors, recheck codex --help and codex exec --help — placement and availability shift between versions.

When to use

• Verify a change visually: rendered page, iOS simulator, desktop app screenshot
• Drive a local web app through a browser (click, navigate, read console) via Codex
• Compare before/after screenshots for regressions

Preflight

codex --version # confirm CLI present; stop and report if missing

Capability reality check