OpenAI's Codex has become the tool of choice for many developers, and it just got a big upgrade.

On Monday, OpenAI launched the Codex app for macOS, which is more than just another access point. It introduces a more intuitive interface that unlocks new capabilities, such as managing multiple agents in parallel.

The Codex app now has an interface more similar to ChatGPT, but optimized for coding, with agents running in separate threads organized by project. It also includes built-in support for worktrees, allowing multiple agents to work on the same repository without interfering with each other.

“The Codex app is [now] a dedicated command center for managing agents,” said Alexander Embiricos, Product Lead for Codex, in a press briefing.

A key addition is a dedicated interface for managing Agent Skills, which apply specific instructions to coding, from enforcing team preferences to running workflows. The app also introduces Automations, enabling agents to run in the background on a schedule.

Codex updates coming to all platforms include:

• Codex will now have two personalities: the more terse one users are used to, and a new conversational and empathetic one.
• For a limited time, Codex will also be available to ChatGPT Free and Go users, in addition to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu subscribers. This includes the macOS app. Paid subscribers will receive double the rate limit during this period.

To address security concerns, the company says the app uses native, open-source, and configurable sandboxing, similar to the Codex CLI, and that it is limited to making edits in the file it's working on.

“These models have gotten much better, they do mostly reasonable things, and that is not an entire safety strategy, but it does mean that, for low-stakes things, we are comfortable relying on the model in ways [we're not used to] — with some guardrails,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, in the same press briefing.