Codex app-server binary by default, so local `codex` commands on `PATH` do

not affect normal harness startup.

- Codex auth available to the app-server process or to OpenClaw's Codex auth

bridge.

bridge. Local app-server launches use an OpenClaw-managed Codex home for each

agent and an isolated child `HOME`, so they do not read your personal

`~/.codex` account, skills, plugins, config, thread state, or native

`$HOME/.agents/skills` by default.

The plugin blocks older or unversioned app-server handshakes. That keeps

OpenClaw on the protocol surface it has been tested against.

```

Stdio app-server launches inherit OpenClaw's process environment by default,

but OpenClaw owns the Codex app-server account bridge. Auth is selected in this

order:

but OpenClaw owns the Codex app-server account bridge and sets both

`CODEX_HOME` and `HOME` to per-agent directories under that agent's OpenClaw

state. Codex's own skill loader reads `$CODEX_HOME/skills` and

`$HOME/.agents/skills`, so both values are isolated for local app-server

launches. That keeps Codex-native skills, plugins, config, accounts, and thread

state scoped to the OpenClaw agent instead of leaking in from the operator's

personal Codex CLI home.

OpenClaw plugins and OpenClaw skill snapshots still flow through OpenClaw's own

plugin registry and skill loader. Personal Codex CLI assets do not. If you have

useful Codex CLI skills or plugins that should become part of an OpenClaw agent,

inventory them explicitly:

```bash

openclaw migrate codex --dry-run

openclaw migrate apply codex --yes

```

The Codex migration provider copies skills into the current OpenClaw agent

workspace. Codex native plugins, hooks, and config files are reported or archived

for manual review instead of being activated automatically, because they can

execute commands, expose MCP servers, or carry credentials.

Auth is selected in this order:

1. An explicit OpenClaw Codex auth profile for the agent.

2. The app-server's existing account, such as a local Codex CLI ChatGPT sign-in.

2. The app-server's existing account in that agent's Codex home.

3. For local stdio app-server launches only, `CODEX_API_KEY`, then

`OPENAI_API_KEY`, when no app-server account is present and OpenAI auth is

still required.

Supported `appServer` fields:

| Field | Default | Meaning |

| ------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

| `transport` | `"stdio"` | `"stdio"` spawns Codex; `"websocket"` connects to `url`. |

| `command` | managed Codex binary | Executable for stdio transport. Leave unset to use the managed binary; set it only for an explicit override. |

| `args` | `["app-server", "--listen", "stdio://"]` | Arguments for stdio transport. |

| `url` | unset | WebSocket app-server URL. |

| `authToken` | unset | Bearer token for WebSocket transport. |

| `headers` | `{}` | Extra WebSocket headers. |

| `clearEnv` | `[]` | Extra environment variable names removed from the spawned stdio app-server process after OpenClaw builds its inherited environment. |

| `requestTimeoutMs` | `60000` | Timeout for app-server control-plane calls. |

| `mode` | `"yolo"` | Preset for YOLO or guardian-reviewed execution. |

| `approvalPolicy` | `"never"` | Native Codex approval policy sent to thread start/resume/turn. |

| `sandbox` | `"danger-full-access"` | Native Codex sandbox mode sent to thread start/resume. |

| `approvalsReviewer` | `"user"` | Use `"auto_review"` to let Codex review native approval prompts. `guardian_subagent` remains a legacy alias. |

| `serviceTier` | unset | Optional Codex app-server service tier: `"fast"`, `"flex"`, or `null`. Invalid legacy values are ignored. |

| Field | Default | Meaning |

| ------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |

| `transport` | `"stdio"` | `"stdio"` spawns Codex; `"websocket"` connects to `url`. |

| `command` | managed Codex binary | Executable for stdio transport. Leave unset to use the managed binary; set it only for an explicit override. |

| `args` | `["app-server", "--listen", "stdio://"]` | Arguments for stdio transport. |

| `url` | unset | WebSocket app-server URL. |

| `authToken` | unset | Bearer token for WebSocket transport. |

| `headers` | `{}` | Extra WebSocket headers. |

| `clearEnv` | `[]` | Extra environment variable names removed from the spawned stdio app-server process after OpenClaw builds its inherited environment. `CODEX_HOME` and `HOME` are reserved for OpenClaw's per-agent Codex isolation on local launches. |

| `requestTimeoutMs` | `60000` | Timeout for app-server control-plane calls. |

| `mode` | `"yolo"` | Preset for YOLO or guardian-reviewed execution. |

| `approvalPolicy` | `"never"` | Native Codex approval policy sent to thread start/resume/turn. |

| `sandbox` | `"danger-full-access"` | Native Codex sandbox mode sent to thread start/resume. |

| `approvalsReviewer` | `"user"` | Use `"auto_review"` to let Codex review native approval prompts. `guardian_subagent` remains a legacy alias. |

| `serviceTier` | unset | Optional Codex app-server service tier: `"fast"`, `"flex"`, or `null`. Invalid legacy values are ignored. |

OpenClaw-owned dynamic tool calls are bounded independently from

`appServer.requestTimeoutMs`: each Codex `item/tool/call` request must receive