May 15
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ou've been using Codex CLI like a terminal chatbot. Here's how power users actually run it in 2026 — AGENTS.md, /plan, hidden shortcuts, and parallel worktrees. Most developers type a prompt into Codex CLI and wonder why it doesn't just work. The gap isn't the model — it's the missing setup. In this video I break down 5 techniques that transform Codex from a one-shot tool into a local engineering system: AGENTS.md (the config file that makes Codex an expert in YOUR codebase), /plan-first execution, three hidden shortcuts almost no developer knows about, parallel git worktrees that run while you're in meetings, and in-session model switching between GPT-5.5 and Mini. These are the patterns senior developers are actually running in 2026 — and they've been in the official docs the whole time. ### Chapters 0:00 Cold Open: The Power-User Terminal Setup 0:24 The Reframe: Race Car in First Gear 1:11 What Codex CLI Actually Is (Modes Explained) 2:26 Skill 1: AGENTS.md — The Config File That Changes Everything 3:55 Skill 2: /plan First, Then Execute 5:09 Hidden Shortcuts Teaser 5:24 Skill 3: Three Hidden Shortcuts Nobody Uses 6:28 Skill 4: Parallel Worktrees + Subagents 7:52 Skill 5: Model Switching + The Skills System 9:11 The Full Power-User Loop 10:09 What's Next ### Tools & Resources Mentioned - Codex CLI Docs: https://developers.openai.com/codex/cli - AGENTS.md Guide: https://developers.openai.com/codex/guides/agents-md - Codex Best Practices: https://developers.openai.com/codex/learn/best-practices - ComposioHQ awesome-codex-skills: https://github.com/ComposioHQ/awesome-codex-skills ### Join the Community Subscribe to TechWhistle for more AI dev workflows, every week. #CodexCLI #OpenAICodex #DeveloperProductivity #AIcoding #TechWhistle #Tutorial