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Product
Buffaly.CodexEmbedded
Windows-first Codex UI

Unofficial Windows-first UI for OpenAI Codex.

Run the official Codex agent in a browser UI on desktop, from phone, or alongside terminal workflows.

Install in 5 minutes Download GitHub
Animated walkthrough of Buffaly Codex Embedded across web, CLI, and mobile

Install and launch

Recommended path is MSI install from the latest GitHub release. ZIP install remains available as a portable fallback. Ensure Codex CLI is installed and authenticated before any install flow.

Prereq
codex --version
codex login
Codex CLI must be installed and authenticated before launching Buffaly.CodexEmbedded.
Recommended install (MSI)
Download latest .msi from GitHub releases
Run installer
Open a new terminal
MSI adds `buffaly-codex` and `buffaly-codex-web` to PATH and creates a Start Menu shortcut.
Portable install (ZIP fallback)
pwsh -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\install.ps1
Run from extracted package root where `release-manifest.json`, `apps\`, and `install.ps1` exist.
Launch web UI
buffaly-codex-web
Opens browser automatically; reuses an already running local server when available.

Commands after install

Open UI
buffaly-codex-web
Interactive REPL
buffaly-codex
One-shot prompt
buffaly-codex run --prompt "Refactor payment service and add tests" --cwd "C:\Projects\MyApp"
Update
buffaly-codex-update
Uninstall
buffaly-codex-uninstall

Feature tour

These sections map directly to major workflows described in the project README and release notes.

Multi-project and multi-session management

Keep many sessions visible by working directory and session, instead of juggling terminal tabs.

  • Sidebar groups active projects and sessions with status visibility.
  • CLI-started sessions appear in the web UI with timeline context.
  • Desktop and mobile both keep the same session model.
Multi-project workspace with sidebar and active conversation
Multi-project workspace with sidebar and active conversation
Detailed project list with multiple active sessions
Detailed project list with multiple active sessions
Project list on phone over private tailnet access
Project list on phone over private tailnet access

Prompting that feels native

Use normal browser editing, voice dictation, and image paste workflows while keeping Codex controls nearby.

  • Natural input, copy/paste, and edit before send.
  • Image attachments are visible and sent as prompt context.
  • Dictation support accelerates prompt entry.
Prompt composer with natural text input and controls
Prompt composer with natural text input and controls
Voice dictation prompt entry
Voice dictation prompt entry
Image preview chip before send
Image preview chip before send
Sent prompt with attached image visible in conversation
Sent prompt with attached image visible in conversation

Persistent timeline and long-session review

Resume old work quickly with readable history, recap workflows, and diff-style previews.

  • Timeline keeps assistant and tool activity in one place.
  • Recap mode supports end-of-day review and export workflows.
  • Diff preview and collapsed sections reduce noise in long runs.
Conversation timeline with assistant and tool entries
Conversation timeline with assistant and tool entries
Timeline showing resumed task context and follow-up actions
Timeline showing resumed task context and follow-up actions
Recap screen for exporting work
Recap screen for exporting work
Diff-style timeline preview
Diff-style timeline preview
Collapsed jump sections
Collapsed jump sections

Hybrid web plus CLI workflow

Use browser context and review while running focused terminal commands against the same sessions.

  • Web and CLI stay aligned on the same active workflow.
  • Switch between quick command execution and rich timeline review.
  • Designed for mixed deep work and fast tasks.
Desktop web interface during an active coding session
Desktop web interface during an active coding session
Terminal window running commands for the same work session
Terminal window running commands for the same work session
Desktop, CLI, and mobile hybrid workflow
Desktop, CLI, and mobile hybrid workflow

Operational visibility and reliability

Inspect live state and recover from edge cases when running many sessions.

  • Realtime logs and watcher views for protocol-level diagnostics.
  • Server state view exposes runtime snapshots.
  • Recent releases improve cancel recovery, stale turn handling, and attach consistency.
Realtime logs screen
Realtime logs screen
Session watcher screen
Session watcher screen
Server state screen
Server state screen
Reasoning display and quick cancel
Reasoning display and quick cancel
Model selector with reasoning controls
Model selector with reasoning controls
Task completion notification bubbles
Task completion notification bubbles
Planning mode input
Planning mode input
Planning mode completion card
Planning mode completion card
Dark mode contrast improvements
Dark mode contrast improvements

Why this over raw CLI?

Raw CLI friction Buffaly.CodexEmbedded workflow
One terminal session at a time Juggle multiple projects with persistent sessions side-by-side.
Clunky arrow-key editing Use browser-native input with full edit, copy/paste, and undo.
Image workflows are painful Paste screenshots directly into prompts.
History lost in scrollback Use per-session timelines and recap views.
Device switching resets context Continue the same session from desktop, CLI, and phone.

Mobile and Tailscale

Cross-device continuation is designed around private tailnet access. Keep local server private and publish only through Tailscale Serve. 

tailscale serve --bg 5173
tailscale serve status

On device clients where host resolution fails, run: tailscale set --accept-dns=true

Open detailed Tailscale docs

Security

Codex can read, write, and execute code on your machine. Keep deployment private and explicit.

  • Bind to localhost (127.0.0.1) by default.
  • Do not expose the UI directly to the public internet.
  • Publish privately via Tailscale Serve when remote access is needed.
  • Use auth token protected WebSocket connections.
  • Avoid running on machines with secrets you are unwilling to expose to tool-driven workflows.
Open security guide

Configuration after install

Installer updates preserve existing `appsettings.json` files. Most teams edit these paths and keys first:

Config paths

  • %LOCALAPPDATA%\Buffaly.CodexEmbedded\versions\<active-version>\apps\cli\appsettings.json
  • %LOCALAPPDATA%\Buffaly.CodexEmbedded\versions\<active-version>\apps\web\appsettings.json

Common keys

  • CodexPath
  • DefaultCwd
  • TimeoutSeconds / TurnTimeoutSeconds
  • LogFilePath / LogRootPath

Troubleshooting

Browser opens Codex setup help page
Codex CLI is missing or not runnable. Install Codex, run `codex login`, then retry `buffaly-codex-web`.
install.ps1 cannot find release-manifest.json
Run installer from extracted package root containing `release-manifest.json`, `apps\`, and `install.ps1`.
Web UI starts but sessions fail
Verify `codex --version` works and that `codex login` completed.
buffaly-codex-web command not found
Open a new terminal so PATH updates are loaded after install.

Latest release

v2026.02.27.01
Released 2026-02-27
Read release notes
  • Planning Mode end-to-end support (stream, review, approve, continue).
  • Voice dictation for fast prompt entry.
  • Recap workflow for end-of-day reports and exports.
  • Diff-style timeline preview and long-session review improvements.
  • Multi-session recovery and attach reliability improvements.

Embed in .NET apps

The repo includes `Buffaly.CodexEmbedded.Core` for embedding Codex sessions via JSON-RPC over JSONL in your own .NET hosts.

Open external core API guide

Feedback

Ideas, bug reports, workflow feedback, and patches are welcome. Include what you tried, what happened, and what you expected.

Feedback links Download latest