codex

Eight principles, scored

Behavioral and source checks. Every non-pass row carries a copy-paste remediation prompt.

1. P1
   Non-Interactive by Default

   secret-bearing flag(s) without `*-file` companion or stdin path: --remote-auth-token-env. Flag values leak via process tables, shell history, and CI logs; provide stdin support or a `--<flag>-file` variant. · no default-value annotations found in --help. SHOULD-tier — agents reading help text need to see what value a flag falls back to when omitted (`[default: <value>]` per clap convention).

   Remediation · P1⧉ copy prompt

   Make codex satisfy P1 (Non-Interactive by Default) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - Secret-bearing flags expose stdin or *-file companion (secret-bearing flag(s) without `*-file` companion or stdin path: --remote-auth-token-env. Flag values leak via process tables, shell history, and CI logs; provide stdin support or a `--<flag>-file` variant.)
   - `--help` advertises default values for flags (no default-value annotations found in --help. SHOULD-tier — agents reading help text need to see what value a flag falls back to when omitted (`[default: <value>]` per clap convention).)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p1

   fail
2. P2
   Structured, Parseable Output

   --output/--format flag detected but could not validate JSON via safe probes (--help/--version override output flags in most CLIs) · no --json or --jsonl short alias found. Agents and pipelines benefit from short forms alongside the canonical `--output` enum.

   Remediation · P2⧉ copy prompt

   Make codex satisfy P2 (Structured, Parseable Output) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - Structured output support (--output/--format flag detected but could not validate JSON via safe probes (--help/--version override output flags in most CLIs))
   - --json / --jsonl short aliases for --output (no --json or --jsonl short alias found. Agents and pipelines benefit from short forms alongside the canonical `--output` enum.)
   - `--raw` flag for pipe-safe unformatted output (no `--raw` flag advertised. MAY-tier — useful for pipelines that want to strip formatting before piping to other tools.)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p2

   warn
3. P3
   Progressive Help Discovery

   no `examples` subcommand or `--examples` flag found. MAY-tier — a curated usage block keeps agents from hunting through long help text. · no paired text + `--output json` example found within 5 lines in top-level or any subcommand `--help`. Pairing keeps agents from reverse-engineering the JSON invocation from the text one.

   Remediation · P3⧉ copy prompt

   Make codex satisfy P3 (Progressive Help Discovery) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - `examples` subcommand or `--examples` flag for curated usage patterns (no `examples` subcommand or `--examples` flag found. MAY-tier — a curated usage block keeps agents from hunting through long help text.)
   - Help text pairs human and `--output json` example invocations (no paired text + `--output json` example found within 5 lines in top-level or any subcommand `--help`. Pairing keeps agents from reverse-engineering the JSON invocation from the text one.)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p3

   warn
4. P4
   Fail-Fast, Actionable Errors

   All 3 checks pass.

   pass
5. P5
   Safe Retries & Mutation Boundaries

   write-pattern subcommand(s) present (update) but no read-pattern surface detected. If the CLI is write-only by design the MUST is satisfied vacuously; otherwise expose the read surface with agent-recognizable verbs (list/get/show/query/find/search).

   Remediation · P5⧉ copy prompt

   Make codex satisfy P5 (Safe Retries & Mutation Boundaries) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - Read and write surfaces are both visible in subcommand list (write-pattern subcommand(s) present (update) but no read-pattern surface detected. If the CLI is write-only by design the MUST is satisfied vacuously; otherwise expose the read surface with agent-recognizable verbs (list/get/show/query/find/search).)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p5

   warn
6. P6
   Composable, Predictable Command Structure

   7/24 subcommand(s) follow standard verb names. Non-standard: review, mcp, plugin, mcp-server, app-server, remote-control, completion, sandbox, debug, working, resume, the, fork, most, cloud, exec-server, features. MAY-tier — community-standard verbs (get/list/create/update/delete) help agents predict subcommand behavior across CLIs. · no `--color` flag advertised. MAY-tier — `auto|always|never` lets agents and pipelines override the TTY-based default.

   Remediation · P6⧉ copy prompt

   Make codex satisfy P6 (Composable, Predictable Command Structure) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - Subcommand verbs follow community-standard names (7/24 subcommand(s) follow standard verb names. Non-standard: review, mcp, plugin, mcp-server, app-server, remote-control, completion, sandbox, debug, working, resume, the, fork, most, cloud, exec-server, features. MAY-tier — community-standard verbs (get/list/create/update/delete) help agents predict subcommand behavior across CLIs.)
   - `--color` flag for explicit color control (no `--color` flag advertised. MAY-tier — `auto|always|never` lets agents and pipelines override the TTY-based default.)
   - Subcommand naming follows a consistent verb/noun convention (subcommand naming is inconsistent: 7 non-verb subcommand(s) (mcp, plugin, working, the, most, cloud, features) mix verb and non-verb children at the second level, so an agent cannot predict where the action lives. SHOULD-tier: pick a consistent shape (all verb-first, all noun-verb hierarchy, or any combination where each non-verb group's children are uniformly verbs). The verb list is a heuristic; inspect `--help` to confirm.)
   - Operations are subcommands, not verb-shaped flags (top-level verb-shaped flag(s) found: --search. Operations belong under the `Commands:` block (`tool search "q"`), not on the flag namespace where they fight the `--help` filtering agents rely on.)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p6

   warn
7. P7
   Bounded, High-Signal Responses

   no --quiet/-q flag detected in --help output · no `--verbose` / `-v` flag advertised. SHOULD-tier — agents debugging failures need a way to escalate diagnostic detail.

   Remediation · P7⧉ copy prompt

   Make codex satisfy P7 (Bounded, High-Signal Responses) from the agent-native CLI standard. Address:
   - Quiet mode available (no --quiet/-q flag detected in --help output)
   - `--verbose` flag for diagnostic escalation (no `--verbose` / `-v` flag advertised. SHOULD-tier — agents debugging failures need a way to escalate diagnostic detail.)
   - Help text advertises TTY-aware verbosity behavior (no TTY-aware language found in `--help`. MAY-tier — automatic verbosity reduction when stdout is piped or redirected lets agents skip the explicit `--quiet` flag. Behavioral probes cannot simulate a real TTY without a pty crate, so this audit relies on documented intent.)
   Requirements: https://anc.dev/p7

   warn
8. P8
   Discoverable Through Agent Skill Bundles

   All 3 checks pass.

   pass