FAQ
The questions people who know the work ask most often.
Does Codex cost money?
Does Codex cost money?
Codex needs an OpenAI account with a paid ChatGPT plan. See the OpenAI site for current pricing.
I know my work, not code. Will this work for me?
I know my work, not code. Will this work for me?
Absolutely. You describe the workflow and acceptance criteria; the technical work goes to Codex.
Can I share what I build with teammates?
Can I share what I build with teammates?
Yes. Have Codex package it as an .exe or .dmg installer, and send it along.
Is what Codex generates safe?
Is what Codex generates safe?
Local tools carry relatively low risk. For sensitive data, it helps to have a technical colleague take a look.
My app is slow. What do I do?
My app is slow. What do I do?
Tell Codex: "The app is slow on large files — please optimize." It will track down the bottleneck and fix it.
Can I build a mobile app?
Can I build a mobile app?
You can, but this tutorial covers desktop only. Mobile publishing is quite a bit more involved.
Can it connect to the internet?
Can it connect to the internet?
Yes, but start with offline tools to get your feet wet. Have a technical colleague look over the online parts.
How do I know the result is correct?
How do I know the result is correct?
You are the acceptance tester — judge the app by its behavior and final output.
Can I collaborate with teammates?
Can I collaborate with teammates?
Yes. Share your prompts, or pass around the packaged installer.
Who do I contact when something breaks?
Who do I contact when something breaks?
Ask Codex first — it can solve most issues. For account or billing problems, contact OpenAI support.
Can an average computer run it?
Can an average computer run it?
Usually yes. 8 GB RAM and about 10 GB free disk space is a comfortable baseline.
Will Codex upload my local files to the internet?
Will Codex upload my local files to the internet?
It only reads the files you hand to it. Anonymize sensitive data before sharing.
The first response is full of jargon. What do I do?
The first response is full of jargon. What do I do?
Send this back: "Plain language only, skip the jargon. Five sentences for the next step, then continue and verify."
How do I keep usage costs in check?
How do I keep usage costs in check?
One task per chat. Start fresh after it runs. Reuse your best prompts for repeat work.
Can I commercialize what I build?
Can I commercialize what I build?
Internal use is usually fine. Before selling externally, check OpenAI terms and dependency licenses.
Friends ask "did you really build this?" — what do I say?
Friends ask "did you really build this?" — what do I say?
Try: "I wrote the requirements. Codex built the first version. I verified and iterated."