A Rust sidecar that hotwires the Codex desktop app

What it does

Codex++ is an external launcher and manager for the Codex desktop application. Built in Rust with a Tauri/React control panel, it starts the official Codex binary and attaches enhancement scripts via the Chromium DevTools Protocol. It leaves the original app.asar untouched, acting as a sidecar that unlocks UI features, enables session deletion, and swaps API providers on the fly.

The interesting bit

Instead of modding the app’s internals, it treats Codex like a browser tab it controls remotely—injecting functionality from the outside. That clean separation means official app updates are less likely to break the enhancements, and the silent launcher can hide its Dock icon or console window entirely.

Key highlights

• Unlocks the plugin entry point when using API-key login, which the native app normally restricts to ChatGPT-authenticated users.
• Adds a true session-delete button to the conversation list; the stock UI only offers archiving.
• Supports “relay injection” to redirect model requests to custom API endpoints while preserving the official ChatGPT login state.
• Syncs local session metadata before startup so switching providers doesn’t vaporize your chat history.
• Integrates with Zed Remote Development and upstream worktree creation, bridging the gap between AI chat and local/remote dev workflows.

Caveats

• macOS Gatekeeper may flag the app as damaged, requiring manual security exceptions.
• Documentation and community channels are Chinese-first; English support exists but is secondary.
• It is strictly a companion tool—the official Codex App must already be present on the system.

Verdict

Grab it if you use the Codex desktop app daily but chafe at its plugin gating, missing delete buttons, or locked API endpoints. If you run Codex in a browser or prefer unmodified official tooling, this wrapper adds little value.