Primary navigation

Slash commands in Codex CLI

Control Codex during interactive sessions

Slash commands give you fast, keyboard-first control over Codex. Type / in the composer to open the slash popup, choose a command, and Codex will perform actions such as switching models, adjusting approvals, or summarizing long conversations without leaving the terminal.

This guide shows you how to:

  • Find the right built-in slash command for a task
  • Steer an active session with commands like /model, /approvals, and /status
  • Create custom prompts that behave like new slash commands with arguments and metadata (see Custom Prompts)

Built-in slash commands

Codex ships with the following commands. Open the slash popup and start typing the command name to filter the list.

CommandPurposeWhen to use it
/approvalsSet what Codex can do without asking first.Relax or tighten approval requirements mid-session, such as switching between Auto and Read Only.
/compactSummarize the visible conversation to free tokens.Use after long runs so Codex retains key points without blowing the context window.
/diffShow the Git diff, including files Git isn’t tracking yet.Review Codex’s edits before you commit or run tests.
/exitExit the CLI (same as /quit).Alternative spelling; both commands exit the session.
/feedbackSend logs to the Codex maintainers.Report issues or share diagnostics with support.
/initGenerate an AGENTS.md scaffold in the current directory.Capture persistent instructions for the repository or subdirectory you’re working in.
/logoutSign out of Codex.Clear local credentials when using a shared machine.
/mcpList configured Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools.Check which external tools Codex can call during the session.
/mentionAttach a file to the conversation.Point Codex at specific files or folders you want it to inspect next.
/modelChoose the active model (and reasoning effort, when available).Switch between general-purpose models (gpt-4.1-mini) and deeper reasoning models before running a task.
/forkFork a saved conversation into a new thread.Branch an older session to try a different approach without losing the original transcript.
/resumeResume a saved conversation from your session list.Continue work from a previous CLI session without starting over.
/newStart a new conversation inside the same CLI session.Reset the chat context without leaving the CLI when you want a fresh prompt in the same repo.
/quitExit the CLI.Leave the session immediately.
/reviewAsk Codex to review your working tree.Run after Codex completes work or when you want a second set of eyes on local changes.
/statusDisplay session configuration and token usage.Confirm the active model, approval policy, writable roots, and remaining context capacity.

/quit and /exit both exit the CLI. Use them only after you have saved or committed any important work.

Control your session with slash commands

The following workflows keep your session on track without restarting Codex.

Set the active model with /model

  1. Start Codex and open the composer.
  2. Type /model and press Enter.
  3. Choose a model such as gpt-4.1-mini or gpt-4.1 from the popup.

Expected: Codex confirms the new model in the transcript. Run /status to verify the change.

Update approval rules with /approvals

  1. Type /approvals and press Enter.
  2. Select the approval preset that matches your comfort level, for example Auto for hands-off runs or Read Only to review edits.

Expected: Codex announces the updated policy. Future actions respect the new approval mode until you change it again.

Inspect the session with /status

  1. In any conversation, type /status.
  2. Review the output for the active model, approval policy, writable roots, and current token usage.

Expected: You see a summary like what codex status prints in the shell, confirming Codex is operating where you expect.

Keep transcripts lean with /compact

  1. After a long exchange, type /compact.
  2. Confirm when Codex offers to summarize the conversation so far.

Expected: Codex replaces earlier turns with a concise summary, freeing context while keeping critical details.

Review changes with /diff

  1. Type /diff to inspect the Git diff.
  2. Scroll through the output inside the CLI to review edits and added files.

Expected: Codex shows changes you’ve staged, changes you haven’t staged yet, and files Git hasn’t started tracking, so you can decide what to keep.

Highlight files with /mention

  1. Type /mention followed by a path, for example /mention src/lib/api.ts.
  2. Select the matching result from the popup.

Expected: Codex adds the file to the conversation, ensuring follow-up turns reference it directly.

Start a new conversation with /new

  1. Type /new and press Enter.

Expected: Codex starts a fresh conversation in the same CLI session, so you can switch tasks without leaving your terminal.

Resume a saved conversation with /resume

  1. Type /resume and press Enter.
  2. Choose the session you want from the saved-session picker.

Expected: Codex reloads the selected conversation’s transcript so you can pick up where you left off, keeping the original history intact.

Branch a saved conversation with /fork

  1. Type /fork and press Enter.
  2. Pick the saved session you want to branch from in the picker (same list you see with /resume).

Expected: Codex clones the selected conversation into a new thread with a fresh ID, leaving the original transcript untouched so you can explore an alternative approach in parallel.

Generate AGENTS.md with /init

  1. Run /init in the directory where you want Codex to look for persistent instructions.
  2. Review the generated AGENTS.md, then edit it to match your repository conventions.

Expected: Codex creates an AGENTS.md scaffold you can refine and commit for future sessions.

Ask for a working tree review with /review

  1. Type /review.
  2. Follow up with /diff if you want to inspect the exact file changes.

Expected: Codex summarizes issues it finds in your working tree, focusing on behavior changes and missing tests.

List MCP tools with /mcp

  1. Type /mcp.
  2. Review the list to confirm which MCP servers and tools are available.

Expected: You see the configured Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools Codex can call in this session.

Send feedback with /feedback

  1. Type /feedback and press Enter.
  2. Follow the prompts to include logs or diagnostics.

Expected: Codex collects the requested diagnostics and submits them to the maintainers.

Sign out with /logout

  1. Type /logout and press Enter.

Expected: Codex clears local credentials for the current user session.

Exit the CLI with /quit or /exit

  1. Type /quit (or /exit) and press Enter.

Expected: Codex exits immediately. Save or commit any important work first.

Custom prompts

To create your own reusable prompts that behave like slash commands (invoked as /prompts: <name>), see Custom Prompts.