Getting Started with Codex
Give it a clear task. Inspect what it changes.
Start using OpenAI Codex: explore a project, write a clear task, make and test a small change, review the result and work safely.
Beginner ยท about 18 min reading ยท earn the Codex Starter badge
Start Course โSyllabus
Module 1: Your first project
- Meet Codex and Open Your First Practice ProjectChoose where to use Codex, check your account access and open a small practice folder without needing prior coding experience.
- Ask Codex to Explain the Project Before EditingLearn what the starter files do, inspect existing instructions and turn an unfamiliar folder into a small, reviewable plan.
- Give Codex a Clear Task and Make Your First ChangeWrite a task with a goal, sources, boundaries and acceptance checks, then use it to make a small change in the starter project.
Module 2: Make and check a change
- Test the Page and Fix a Small Bug with CodexReport expected and actual behaviour, reproduce a bug and check that a focused fix works beyond the first click.
- Review Changes and Save a Recoverable VersionRead a before-and-after comparison, distinguish a local save from publishing and preserve a known working version of your project.
Module 3: Work with confidence
- Use Codex Permissions and Protect Company DataMatch file, command and network access to the task. Keep company information in approved workflows and inspect requests for broader access.
- Reuse Project Instructions, Skills and ContextUnderstand AGENTS.md, keep durable project context and recognise when a reusable skill or connected plugin is useful.
- Finish Your First Codex Project and Hand It OverAdd a small FAQ from source facts, review the complete practice page and produce a handoff with evidence and clear next steps.
Getting Started with Codex: common questions
- Is Getting Started with Codex free?
- Yes. All 8 lessons are free to read in full, with no paywall, no trial and no card. You do not have to sign up to take it, and your progress saves in your own browser.
- How long does Getting Started with Codex take?
- About 18 minutes of reading across 8 lessons. Allow extra time to set up Codex and work through the downloadable starter project; the reading estimate excludes this practice. You do not have to do it in one sitting: it remembers where you stopped.
- Do I need any experience to take Getting Started with Codex?
- No. Getting Started with Codex starts from the beginning and assumes no experience with AI and no coding. If you can use a web browser, you can do it.
- What do I get for finishing Getting Started with Codex?
- The Codex Starter badge, and a free printable certificate of completion. LearnWithZavi is not accredited, so the certificate is a record that you finished the lessons rather than a formal qualification, and it says so on the certificate itself.
- What does Getting Started with Codex cover?
- Start using OpenAI Codex: explore a project, write a clear task, make and test a small change, review the result and work safely. It is organised into 3 modules: Your first project, Make and check a change, Work with confidence.