OpenAI Codex Setup

Best if you already pay for ChatGPT Plus or Pro

Codex is OpenAI's coding agent. If ChatGPT is already your AI, use it for Free For Charity too: sign in with your ChatGPT account, connect GitHub, and run the same issue → pull request → merge loop as every FFC repository.

Beginner-friendlySign in with ChatGPT~20 minutes

On this page

1.Why Codex2.Install the Codex App3.Sign In with ChatGPT4.Connect GitHub5.Add MCP Servers6.Codex Reads AGENTS.md7.Your First Issue to Merge8.When to Move to an IDE9.Security and Good Habits10.Troubleshooting

1. Why Codex

Codex comes as a desktop app, a command-line (CLI) tool, an IDE extension, and a cloud agent at chatgpt.com/codex. They share one account and one configuration. If you already pay for ChatGPT, this is the most natural way to help Free For Charity.

Prefer Claude, Gemini, or Copilot? Use the AI you already pay for — the hub points you to the right guide. This one assumes Codex is your AI of choice.

2. Install the Codex App

The Codex app is available on macOS and Windows and is the easiest place to start.

  1. Download the Codex app from the Codex app page and install it.
  2. Launch the app and sign in (next step).
  3. (Optional, advanced) There is also a Codex command-line tool if you prefer the terminal. It shares the same account and configuration as the app — ask Codex to set it up for you when you get there.

3. Sign In with ChatGPT

Open the app and choose Sign in with ChatGPT. Codex is included with ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Edu, and Enterprise plans — Plus or Pro is plenty for FFC work. (An OpenAI API key also works but needs extra setup; signing in with ChatGPT is simpler.)

4. Connect GitHub

4.1 — Confirm org membership

Make sure a maintainer has added you to the FreeForCharity organization and accept the invitation.

4.2 — Connect your repository

For the cloud agent, open the environment settings at chatgpt.com/codex and follow the steps to connect a GitHub repository (for example FreeForCharity/FFC_Single_Page_Template). The desktop app and CLI can also work on a local clone you open directly.

5. Add MCP Servers

Codex understands MCP servers in the app, the CLI, and the IDE extension. You need GitHub (and, once you are running browser tests, Playwright). Rather than memorize commands or config files — which change between versions — just ask Codex to set them up:

Copy this prompt into your AI agent

“I want to work on Free For Charity's website repositories on GitHub (organization: FreeForCharity). Set yourself up: enable the GitHub MCP server so you can read issues and open pull requests, and the Playwright MCP server if we will run the site's end-to-end tests. Install or enable whatever you need, walk me through any sign-in, then confirm you can see FreeForCharity/FFC_Single_Page_Templateand list its open issues.”

Let Codex handle the particulars.Server names and setup steps drift over time, so we keep this prompt-driven instead of pasting config that could be stale. The GitHub server needs a token — provide it only through Codex's secure prompt or an environment variable, and never paste it into a file, an issue, or chat.

6. Codex Reads AGENTS.md

Codex automatically reads an AGENTS.md file for project-specific instructions — and every Free For Charity repository ships one.It documents our tech stack, the pre-commit/CI order (format → lint → build → test), naming conventions, and security rules. You get the house style for free; no extra prompting needed.

Once GitHub is connected and the repo is open, Codex already knows how we work. Just describe the change.

7. Your First Issue to Merge

Run the full Free For Charity contribution loop on a small, safe change.

Step 1 — Pick or open an issue

Copy this prompt into your AI agent

“List the open issues on FreeForCharity/FFC_Single_Page_Template. If none cover the small change I want, open one titled ‘<short title>’.”

Step 2 — Make the change on a branch

Copy this prompt into your AI agent

“Create a branch for issue #<number> (never main) and make the change. Follow the repo's AGENTS.md; our template is FreeForCharity/FFC_Single_Page_Template, and FreeForCharity/FFC-IN-ffcadmin.orgis a live example of a finished site to match. Show me the diff to review before opening anything.”

Step 3 — Open a PR and watch CI

Copy this prompt into your AI agent

“Open a pull request with a Conventional Commit title, link the issue with ‘Fixes #<number>’, then watch the CI checks (format, lint, build, tests, Playwright) and fix anything that fails.”

Step 4 — Review and merge

Review the diff on GitHub. Once a maintainer approves and all checks are green, the pull request merges.

8. When to Move to an IDE

The Codex app and CLI already cover the vast majority of charity website work. Move into a full IDE only when you want a tighter local edit-run-debug loop or a large refactor. Codex has a first-class extension for both editors:

  • •VS Code — run Codex as an in-editor agent alongside builds, tests, and Playwright.
  • •Google Antigravity — an agent-first IDE you can also drive with Codex.

9. Security and Good Habits

  • ✕Never paste tokens or keys into chat, code, commits, or config you might commit.
  • ✓Keep Codex's tool-approval prompts on while you are learning, so you see each action before it runs.
  • ✓Review the diff before a pull request merges.
  • ✓Always work on a branch and open a PR — never commit straight to main.

See the FFC security rules for the full policy.

10. Troubleshooting

SymptomFix
Sign-in not recognizedConfirm your ChatGPT plan includes Codex (Plus/Pro/Business/Edu/Enterprise) and sign in again.
MCP server not connectingAsk Codex to re-enable the server and confirm it started; if it is slow to launch, ask it to increase the server's startup timeout.
Can't open a PR on our repoConfirm FreeForCharity org membership and that the repo is connected at chatgpt.com/codex.
Codex ignores house styleMake sure you are working in the repo so Codex can read its AGENTS.md.

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