Prepare a task
Turn an idea into a clear request, with useful context and a way to recognize success.
Try: Write one small task with an observable result.
THE CODEX LEARNING DESK
A reference desk
for learning Codex.
Find the right reference, try one useful thing, and build your understanding of working with Codex.
Open a reference
THE EVERYDAY SIX01 / GET YOUR BEARINGS
What do you want to do?
Choose a starting point.
Come back when the question changes.
Work in the terminal
Get oriented in your project, then find the command or setting that fits the job.
Try: Ask Codex to explain a small private project before changing it.
Review a result
Read the change, check the behavior, and compare the outcome with your original goal.
Try: Ask which checks establish that a change works, then inspect the evidence.
02 / CARRY YOUR WORK FORWARD
A notebook that travels with you.
Obsidian · Syncthing · Markdown
A companion to working with Codex.
Shape a prompt on one computer, continue on another, and keep a common record of decisions and discoveries. A synced Obsidian vault gives those notes a home you can return to—and point Codex toward when you resume.
ORGANIZE / OBSIDIAN
Give the work a home.
An Obsidian vault is a folder of notes. Keep project briefs, questions, sources, and handoffs together, then link the pieces that help you pick up again.
Try: Make one project note and link it to a short handoff.
CARRY / SYNCTHING
Bring the notes along.
Syncthing synchronizes selected folders between devices. Learn how to share the vault folder, check its sync status, and recognize conflicts before editing on another machine.
Try: Add a harmless test note and confirm its contents arrive on your other computer.
COMMUNICATE / MARKDOWN
Make the request clear.
Markdown adds simple structure to plain text. Use headings for goals and context, lists for requirements, and code blocks for exact commands or output you want Codex to inspect.
Try: Turn a loose request into a note with a goal, relevant files, boundaries, and checks.
Write. Sync. Continue.
- Before switching: save what changed, what was checked, and the next useful step.
- On the other computer: check sync status and open the note to confirm the latest text arrived.
- Resume with context: ask Codex to read that note from this computer’s local synced folder before continuing.
A small Markdown handoff to adapt
Save a note like this alongside your project. Replace the prompts with actual observations; leave uncertain results marked as uncertain.
# Project handoff
## Goal
What useful result are we working toward?
## Current state
- What changed, and why?
- What was checked, and what remains uncertain?
## Relevant files
- Give paths relative to the project, with a reason to read each file.
## Next step
The next small task and how to check its result.
## Boundaries
What should remain unchanged?To resume: “Read the project handoff at the local path I provide. Check it against the current files, summarize where we are, and help me take the next step.”
Syncing a note makes the file available on another computer. Tell Codex which note to read; the sync itself does not supply conversation context.
Learning links: Obsidian Help, Syncthing documentation, and CommonMark. Reviewed .
03 / KEEP GOOD SOURCES CLOSE
The Codex reference shelf
Fourteen selected resources.
A reason to open each one.
Filter the fourteen Codex references below by title, description, or topic.
14 resources
No matching resources. Try a broader word or clear the filters to see the full shelf.
-
Codex best practices
Turning an idea into a clear task with context, boundaries, and a way to check the result.
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Codex CLI
Learning how to work from a terminal in a project directory.
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Developer commands for the CLI
Looking up commands, options, and session operations in the terminal interface.
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Project instructions with AGENTS.md
Understanding where reusable project guidance belongs and how it is discovered.
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Agent approvals and security
Understanding permissions, sandbox boundaries, approvals, and network access.
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Configuration basics
Understanding personal and project settings before changing them.
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Windows desktop guidance
Finding the current official guidance for desktop work on Windows.
Desktop guidance also covers ChatGPT.
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Remote connections
Checking documented ways to work with another host and their platform requirements.
Check requirements for your device and host.
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Models
Checking current model guidance and availability before making a choice.
Includes ChatGPT and Codex; availability can vary.
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Build skills
Considering whether a repeated workflow would benefit from reusable instructions and resources.
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Model Context Protocol
Learning how tools and external context can connect to Codex.
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Codex Cookbook
Looking for worked developer examples that address a concrete problem.
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Official videos and stories
Exploring demonstrations and project stories; select Codex-related material from this broader collection.
A broader collection; look for Codex examples.
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ChatGPT and Codex changelog
Checking documented changes before adopting advice based on an older interface or feature.
Includes updates to both ChatGPT and Codex.
04 / PUT A LITTLE INTO PRACTICE
Give your next session a shape.
Prepare a useful task
A small scaffold to adapt to the work in front of you.
Goal: What useful result do I want? Context: Which project, files, examples, and existing behavior matter? Boundaries: What may change, and what must stay unchanged? Done when: How should the result be checked? Learning: Explain the key decisions and what I should inspect myself.
Select and copy the text, or use the copy button when available.
More on writing a useful taskAN EXERCISE TO TRY
Understand a website
through its source.
Start with a small private sample of pages. Give yourself one question to investigate.
- Find a string and inspect its context.
- Trace a shared include to the pages that use it.
- Explain what the evidence establishes—and what still needs a check.
Keep one note: What did you notice that a text match alone didn’t tell you?