Expanding Codex Usage

2. Recommend the next stronger mode

Move the user up one step at a time. Prefer the lowest level that creates durable leverage.

1. Answer Use for one-off questions and lightweight guidance.
2. Inspect Use when the real problem is hidden in code, config, logs, or environment structure.
3. Implement Use when the goal is clear and momentum matters more than discussion.
4. Review Use when bugs, regressions, tradeoffs, or missing tests matter more than speed.
5. Automate Use when the same sequence of steps will likely happen again soon.
6. Codify Use when a workflow is recurring enough to deserve a skill, agent, command, or plugin.

3. Execute the recommendation

Do not stop at advice if a safe next action is available. Move into reading, editing, reviewing, testing, scripting, or scaffolding.

4. Capture reusable leverage

If the work exposed a stable pattern, propose one small durable follow-up:

• a new skill
• a sharper agent definition
• a command wrapper
• a small script or plugin

Do not codify one-off work.

Choose The Asset

When the workflow should become reusable, choose the lightest asset that fits.

• Skill Use for reusable instructions, judgment, checklists, references, and decision trees.
• Agent Use when a bounded subtask benefits from role separation, narrower tools, or context isolation.
• Command Use for a repeatable entrypoint that packages a common request shape.
• Plugin Use only when the workflow needs durable tool integration or capabilities that prompts alone cannot provide.

Default to a skill first unless delegation or tool integration is the real bottleneck.

Response Shape

When the user asks how to use Codex better, respond in this order:

1. Name the current task shape.
2. Recommend the higher-leverage way to handle it.
3. State the next concrete action.
4. Offer one stretch option if there is an obvious durable upgrade.

Keep the recommendation tied to the current environment and actual task. Avoid generic "you could also" advice.

Example:

This is an inspection task, not a Q&A task. Better use of Codex: inspect the relevant config and tooling first, then decide what to change. Next step: read the files that define the current flow and summarize the constraints. Stretch option: if this keeps recurring, package the workflow as a skill in your global Codex setup.

Guidelines

• Meet the user where they are, then push one level further.
• Prefer concrete execution over abstract advice.
• Suggest stronger workflows without exploding scope.
• Codify only after a pattern is visible.
• Keep recommendations specific to the real codebase, config, and environment.

Anti-Patterns

• giving generic workflow advice without acting
• proposing automation before the workflow is understood
• creating a new asset for a one-off problem
• choosing a plugin when a skill, command, or script would do
• pushing the user several steps beyond their current intent

Examples

For prompt patterns and concrete examples, read references/examples.md.