Codex App Missing Features: What I Wish I Knew Before Switching from CLI

Mar 13, 2026

The Problem

I switched to the Codex App thinking it would replace my CLI workflow entirely. Two hours later, I was back in the terminal.

The App looks polished. Multi-project management, visual thread switching, clean interface. But when I tried my normal workflow—adding a shared library directory to context and running a focused code review—I hit a wall.

The --add-dir flag I rely on? Not available. Manual /compact command? Missing. Custom review instructions? No way to configure them.

I wasn’t the only one. A Reddit thread on r/codex had multiple developers complaining about the same gaps:

“Downsides right now are that the UI is a little slow and some features (like manual ‘/compact’) don’t exist yet.”

“I like it but until they support --add-dir equivalent it only works on half of my use cases.”

Let me walk through what’s actually missing, why it matters, and what you can do about it.

What’s Missing: Feature by Feature

1. Manual `/compact` Command

In the CLI, when my context gets bloated, I run:

/compact

This manually triggers context compaction, clearing out old messages and keeping only what’s essential. It’s a power-user feature for managing long conversations.

In the App? Nothing. No button, no menu option, no keyboard shortcut.

The App has auto-compaction, but it has bugs. One user reported:

“Now more recently they have a big issue with auto compaction where it stalls. So I’m back to VS code.”

When auto-compact stalls, you’re stuck. No manual override.

Workaround: Keep the CLI installed. When the App hangs, switch to CLI, run /compact, then back to App.

2. The `--add-dir` Flag

This one hurts. My project structure looks like:

projects/
├── main-app/
├── shared-utils/
└── api-docs/

In CLI, I start with:

codex --add-dir ../shared-utils --add-dir ../api-docs

This gives the AI context from all three directories. The App only sees the directory you opened. No way to add more.

For monorepo users or anyone with shared libraries, this is a dealbreaker.

Workaround: None in the App. Use CLI for multi-directory projects, or copy shared code into your main directory (not ideal).

3. Custom Review Instructions

In my CLI setup, I have:

{
  "reviewInstructions": "Focus on security vulnerabilities and SQL injection risks. Check for proper input validation."
}

When I run /review, the AI applies these instructions. It knows what I care about.

The App has no equivalent. You can’t configure custom review parameters. There’s an open GitHub issue (#10874) tracking this, but no timeline.

Workaround: Manually specify your review criteria in each prompt. Instead of just “review this code,” say “review this code focusing on security vulnerabilities and input validation.”

4. Full Configuration Flexibility

The CLI reads from multiple config files and environment variables:

# Sandbox control
codex --sandbox
codex --no-sandbox

# Custom config path
codex --config /path/to/custom-config.json

# Model selection
codex --model gpt-4

The App abstracts this away. Some settings are in the UI, others are locked or missing entirely. If your workflow depends on specific CLI flags, you’ll feel the constraint.

5. Stable Git Integration

One user mentioned:

“I did then moved back to CLI because of rejected git diffs. Seems bugged.”

I haven’t hit this myself, but git diff issues in the App could break your version control workflow. The CLI’s git integration is battle-tested. The App’s is newer.

The Feature Gap Summary

Feature	CLI	App	Current Workaround
Manual `/compact`	Yes	No	Use CLI when needed
`--add-dir`	Yes	No	Use CLI for multi-dir
Custom `/review` instructions	Yes	No	Specify in prompt
Full config flags	Yes	Limited	Edit config files directly
Sandbox control	Yes	No	Use CLI
Stable auto-compact	Yes	Buggy	Manual compact via CLI
Git diff reliability	Yes	Buggy (reports)	Use CLI for git operations

Performance Issues I Encountered

Beyond missing features, the App has performance rough edges:

UI Lag: The interface feels sluggish compared to the snappy CLI. Scrolling long chats, switching threads—it’s not as responsive.

Long Chat Hangs: One user reported:

“Sometimes my longer chats, especially with lots of images pasted in, seem to start hanging up.”

I noticed similar behavior with image-heavy threads. The CLI handles this better because it’s text-only by design.

When the App is Actually Fine

Despite the gaps, the App works well for certain workflows:

Good for:

Single-directory projects
General coding questions
Visual thread management (switching between conversations)
Developers who don’t use advanced CLI flags
Quick tasks without complex context needs

Not good for:

Multi-directory monorepos
Projects requiring custom review parameters
Long sessions where you need manual compact control
Workflows dependent on CLI-specific flags

My Hybrid Workflow

I gave up on replacing CLI entirely. Now I use both:

# Day-to-day coding in App
# Open App on main-app directory
# Visual thread switching, easy project management

# When I need advanced features:
cd /path/to/main-app
codex --add-dir ../shared-utils
# Run my review with custom instructions
# Use /compact when context bloats

# Return to App for continued work

This isn’t ideal—context doesn’t sync between them—but it covers all my use cases.

Common Mistakes

Looking at Reddit threads and my own experience, here’s what goes wrong:

Assuming Feature Parity: The App is newer. It doesn’t have everything the CLI has. Check before you switch.

Not Checking GitHub Issues: Most missing features have open issues. Search before assuming something is broken.

Migrating Mid-Project: Switching tools during active development is asking for trouble. Start fresh or finish your current work first.

Ignoring CLI for Edge Cases: Some tasks just need CLI. That’s fine. Use the right tool.

Before You Switch

If you’re considering the App, ask yourself:

Do I use --add-dir for multi-directory projects?
Do I need manual /compact control?
Do I have custom review configurations?
Do I work with large codebases that might trigger performance issues?
Is stable git integration critical to my workflow?

If you answered yes to any of these, keep the CLI installed. You’ll need it.

Summary

The Codex App is a solid tool for straightforward workflows. It handles single-directory projects well and provides a nice visual interface. But it lacks several CLI power features that advanced users rely on.

The missing --add-dir, manual /compact, and custom review instructions mean I can’t recommend the App as a full CLI replacement yet. At least not for developers with complex workflows.

Check the GitHub issues for your missing features. Monitor the release notes. The gap is shrinking with each update. But for now, the CLI remains essential for power users.

Final Words + More Resources

My intention with this article was to help others share my knowledge and experience. If you want to contact me, you can contact by email: Email me

Here are also the most important links from this article along with some further resources that will help you in this scope:

👨‍💻 Reddit: Codex App Discussion
👨‍💻 GitHub Issue #10874: Custom Review Instructions

Oh, and if you found these resources useful, don’t forget to support me by starring the repo on GitHub!