Codex grew from a coding assistant into an agent that can work directly in a software project. OpenAI introduced its cloud software-engineering agent in May 2025, giving each task an isolated environment with a repository and the tools to write code, run tests, fix bugs and propose changes. As agents became capable of longer tasks, the problem shifted toward managing their work. The Codex desktop app, introduced in February 2026, organized parallel agents into project threads with isolated worktrees and reviewable changes. Its later expansion into computer use, reusable skills and ongoing tasks reflects the same ambition: help people carry work through to a finished result.
