Codex CLI: /side Conversations, Queued Input & Plan Mode Fresh Context
CodexCodex CLI 0.122.0 introduces /side conversations, letting developers open a quick tangential thread inside the TUI without interrupting an in-progress agent task. Queued input now accepts slash commands and shell prompts typed while work is already running, eliminating the need to wait before issuing the next instruction. Plan Mode gains the ability to launch implementation in a fresh context window, giving developers a clean token budget when transitioning from planning to execution. Tool discovery and image generation are now enabled by default, reducing setup friction for new users.
Sources & Mentions
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New Features in Codex CLI 0.122.0
Codex CLI 0.122.0, released on April 20, 2026, delivers a set of workflow improvements centered on parallelism, planning ergonomics, and better defaults for new users.
/side Conversations and Queued Input
The most noticeable change in 0.122.0 is the introduction of /side conversations in the Terminal User Interface. Previously, if a developer had a quick question while Codex was in the middle of a longer task, they had to either wait or open a separate terminal session. With /side, a lightweight parallel thread opens inside the same TUI, allowing the developer to get an answer without interrupting the primary agent.
Complementing this, the TUI now accepts queued input while work is running. Developers can type slash commands or shell prompts at any point during agent execution; Codex CLI queues them and processes them when the current step completes. Together, these two changes make multi-step development sessions feel significantly more fluid.
Plan Mode: Fresh-Context Implementation
Plan Mode has received a meaningful ergonomic improvement. When a developer finishes planning and is ready to move into implementation, 0.122.0 now allows Codex to start execution in a fresh context window. Before committing, the interface displays current context usage, letting the developer decide whether to continue from the planning thread or begin with a clean slate.
This addresses a real pain point: long planning sessions can consume a large portion of the context window before any code has been written. Starting implementation fresh ensures the execution phase has the full token budget available, which matters on complex, multi-file tasks.
Tool Discovery and Image Generation Now On by Default
Previously, tool discovery and image generation required explicit opt-in configuration. In 0.122.0, both are enabled by default. Image outputs from MCP tool calls and the JavaScript REPL now include original-detail metadata, making it easier for agents to reason about the images they generate or inspect.
Plugin Marketplace Improvements
The plugin marketplace gains tabbed browsing and inline enable/disable toggles, making it easier to manage a large set of installed plugins. The marketplace now supports installation from remote repositories, cross-repo sources, and local directories — giving teams that maintain internal plugin collections a first-class way to distribute them.
Standalone Installer and Cross-Platform Fixes
Standalone installations are now more self-contained. The codex app command correctly opens or installs the Codex Desktop application on Windows and Intel Macs, closing a gap that required manual workarounds on those platforms.
Bug Fixes
Several reliability issues were addressed in this release:
- App-server approval prompts now correctly disappear when resolved from another client
- Remote-control startup no longer fails if ChatGPT authentication is missing
- MCP startup cancellation is handled correctly
- Token usage is replayed immediately after thread resume or fork operations
- Security-sensitive flows now include token revocation and workspace trust validation