Start Codex in VS Code: your first change, diff, and test

After installing Codex in VS Code, open a project and try one small change. Success means you can inspect the changed file and verification results, not simply receive a response.

Install and confirm the workspace

Follow the official IDE guide to the extension and verify its publisher. If the icon is missing, search for Codex in the Command Palette and choose its sidebar command. The label can vary by extension version. Follow the sign-in instructions shown.

Open the repository and run:

git status --short
git branch --show-current

Save open files and identify existing uncommitted work. Keep a copy or Git checkpoint. Record your OS, extension version, workspace, and permission settings. Old mode names may not match the current interface.

Ask for an explanation, then one change

For practice, ask: “Read the README startup instructions and compare them with package.json scripts. Explain any mismatch without editing.”

Check that it inspected the project you opened. Only if a mismatch exists, ask: “Update the README command to match the scripts. Do not change dependencies. Explain the diff.” Do not invent work if the instructions already match.

Inspect three kinds of evidence

Permission to edit does not automatically settle publication or push decisions. If an operation fails because of permissions, identify the blocked action before broadening access.

Troubleshoot the first task

If the panel is missing, check that the extension is enabled and reload VS Code. If the wrong files are inspected, check the workspace and attached context. If a command fails, run it manually in the same directory to separate environment problems from the proposed change.

Undo only the task's changes when the result is wrong; do not reset unrelated work. Once this small workflow is reliable, expand to tests or changes across several files.