Connect Codex CLI

This guide is for Codex CLI versions supporting custom providers and Responses. The desktop app, editor extension, or an organization-managed environment may use different configuration entry points; check your installed version.

1. Prepare a key and model

Create an API key, then get a model ID supporting Responses and tool calling from the model catalog. Availability and capabilities depend on your account and service configuration.

2. Set an environment variable

Replace the placeholder with your key.

macOS / Linux

Bash or Zsh:

export KEENKIND_API_KEY='YOUR_KEENKIND_API_KEY'

Windows PowerShell

$env:KEENKIND_API_KEY = 'YOUR_KEENKIND_API_KEY'

These values apply only to this terminal and programs launched from it. Start Codex from this terminal after the next step. Set the variable again in a new terminal.

3. Configure the provider

Back up your user configuration file, then edit:

• macOS / Linux: ~/.codex/config.toml
• Windows: .codex\config.toml in your user directory.

Merge this configuration with existing settings. Put model and model_provider before the first [table] header. Update existing keys instead of duplicating them. Replace YOUR_MODEL_ID with an actual model ID.

model = "YOUR_MODEL_ID"
model_provider = "keenkind"

[model_providers.keenkind]
name = "KeenKind"
base_url = "https://api.keenkind.ai/v1"
env_key = "KEENKIND_API_KEY"
wire_api = "responses"
request_max_retries = 0
stream_max_retries = 0

The example keeps the key in the environment and disables automatic retries to make initial requests easier to verify. Put provider and model settings in the user configuration. Current Codex does not load provider configuration from a project’s .codex/config.toml.

4. Start and verify

From your project directory in the same terminal, run:

codex

Check that the displayed model matches your ID. Ask it to read the README and explain how to start the project. Verify file access and check the request in usage records.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Check first
Missing environment variable	Start Codex in the terminal where the key was set.
Old provider or model still selected	Check user configuration and overrides from other settings or launch arguments.
404	Model ID, base URL, and duplicated /v1/v1.
Answers work but tools fail	Model tool support and permission to read the project.
Incomplete result after interruption	Check usage, then follow API troubleshooting.

Configuration fields follow Codex advanced configuration and the configuration reference. Sources checked: 2026-10-18.