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We decided that `*.rules` is a more fitting (and concise) file extension than `*.codexpolicy`, so we are changing the file extension for the "execpolicy" effort. We are also changing the subfolder of `$CODEX_HOME` from `policy` to `rules` to match. This PR updates the in-repo docs and we will update the public docs once the next CLI release goes out. Locally, I created `~/.codex/rules/default.rules` with the following contents: ``` prefix_rule(pattern=["gh", "pr", "view"]) ``` And then I asked Codex to run: ``` gh pr view 7888 --json title,body,comments ``` and it was able to!
75 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
75 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
# Execpolicy quickstart
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Codex can enforce your own rules-based execution policy before it runs shell commands. Policies live in `.rules` files under `~/.codex/rules`.
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## How to create and edit rules
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### TUI interactions
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Codex CLI will present the option to whitelist commands when a command causes a prompt.
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<img width="513" height="168" alt="Screenshot 2025-12-04 at 9 23 54 AM" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4c8ee8ea-3101-4a81-bb13-3f4a9aa02502" />
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Whitelisted commands will no longer require your permission to run in current and subsequent sessions.
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Under the hood, when you approve and whitelist a command, codex will edit `~/.codex/rules/default.rules`.
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### Editing `.rules` files
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1. Create a policy directory: `mkdir -p ~/.codex/rules`.
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2. Add one or more `.rules` files in that folder. Codex automatically loads every `.rules` file in there on startup.
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3. Write `prefix_rule` entries to describe the commands you want to allow, prompt, or block:
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```starlark
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prefix_rule(
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pattern = ["git", ["push", "fetch"]],
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decision = "prompt", # allow | prompt | forbidden
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match = [["git", "push", "origin", "main"]], # examples that must match
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not_match = [["git", "status"]], # examples that must not match
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)
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```
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- `pattern` is a list of shell tokens, evaluated from left to right; wrap tokens in a nested list to express alternatives (for example, match both `push` and `fetch`).
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- `decision` sets the severity; Codex picks the strictest decision when multiple rules match (forbidden > prompt > allow).
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- `match` and `not_match` act as optional unit tests. Codex validates them when it loads your policy, so you get feedback if an example has unexpected behavior.
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In this example rule, if Codex wants to run commands with the prefix `git push` or `git fetch`, it will first ask for user approval.
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## Preview decisions
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Use the `codex execpolicy check` subcommand to preview decisions before you save a rule (see the [`codex-execpolicy` README](../codex-rs/execpolicy/README.md) for syntax details):
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```shell
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codex execpolicy check --rules ~/.codex/rules/default.rules git push origin main
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```
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Pass multiple `--rules` flags to test how several files combine, and use `--pretty` for formatted JSON output. See the [`codex-rs/execpolicy` README](../codex-rs/execpolicy/README.md) for a more detailed walkthrough of the available syntax.
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Example output when a rule matches:
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```json
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{
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"matchedRules": [
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{
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"prefixRuleMatch": {
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"matchedPrefix": ["git", "push"],
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"decision": "prompt"
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}
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}
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],
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"decision": "prompt"
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}
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```
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When no rules match, `matchedRules` is an empty array and `decision` is omitted.
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```json
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{
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"matchedRules": []
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}
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```
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## Status
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`execpolicy` commands are still in preview. The API may have breaking changes in the future.
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