Codex CLI Adds codex doctor --network-only for Focused Network Diagnostics
CodexCodex CLI 0.166.0 added a --network-only option to the codex doctor command, narrowing the report to configuration, connectivity and WebSocket diagnostics. Developers who hit connection problems can now run a focused network check instead of the full diagnostic report.
Key Takeaways
codex doctor --network-onlyis a new flag in Codex CLI 0.166.0 that limits the diagnostic report to network-related checks.- The focused report covers configuration, connectivity, and WebSocket diagnostics, the three areas named in the release notes.
- The flag targets developers troubleshooting connection problems, who no longer need to scan the full
codex doctorreport. - The change extends an existing command rather than adding a new one, since
codex doctorshipped in an earlier release. - The release notes are brief and do not detail the individual checks or output format, so behavior beyond the one-line description is unconfirmed.
- The change ships in Codex CLI 0.166.0, released on October 29, 2026, alongside keyboard-driven transcript selection.
A Narrower Diagnostic for Connection Problems
Codex CLI 0.166.0 added a --network-only option to codex doctor, the command Codex uses to report on the health of a local installation. According to the release notes, running codex doctor --network-only produces focused configuration, connectivity, and WebSocket diagnostics. The aim is a report scoped to network behavior, rather than the broader checks the command performs by default.
For a developer whose session will not connect, drops mid-task, or fails to reach the service, this gives a shorter route to the information that matters. Instead of reading through a full report to find the connectivity section, the flag limits the output to the network-related checks.
What the Flag Covers
The release notes name three areas for the focused report:
- Configuration, the settings relevant to how Codex connects.
- Connectivity, whether Codex can reach what it needs over the network.
- WebSocket diagnostics, checks on the WebSocket connection.
Background
codex doctor is not new. The base command arrived in an earlier release as a diagnostics tool. What 0.166.0 adds is the --network-only option, described in the pull request as "focused network diagnostics."
What the Release Notes Do Not Say
The release notes give a single line for this change. They do not list the individual checks run under --network-only, the format of the output, or how it relates to other codex doctor options. This article therefore stays within what is stated: the flag exists, it is part of Codex CLI 0.166.0, and it narrows the report to configuration, connectivity, and WebSocket diagnostics.