## Why
`ApiPathString` kind of implies that it can be used anywhere we pull a
path out of JSON, but it's not really appropriate for tool arguments
when the model might generate relative paths.
Prefer `String` for model-generated paths and we can handle the
conversion per feature for now and define a shared abstraction later if
it makes sense.
# What
Rename `ApiPathString` to `AppLegacyPathString` to clarify its role.
Expand the `path-types` skill to tell the model to leave tool args as
bare strings.
## Why
Clients running an app-server on one OS and an exec-server on another OS
need to be able to pass sandbox config to app-server that refers to
resources on the executor's foreign OS.
## What
`AbsolutePathBuf` can't represent these paths and we don't want users to
be exposed to `PathUri` yet, so this moves the public app-server API to
be expressed in terms of `ApiPathString`.
Stacked on #28165.
- change app-server v2 filesystem permission paths, including legacy
read/write roots, to `ApiPathString`
- localize API paths through `PathUri` when converting into the current
native core permission types
- make path-bearing permission conversions fallible and surface
localization failures instead of silently treating malformed grants as
ordinary denials
- propagate conversion failures through app-server and TUI approval
handling
- regenerate the app-server JSON and TypeScript schemas
- leave migration TODOs on native-path conversions so they can be
removed once core permission paths use `PathUri`
## Why
Filesystem permission profiles used `none` for deny-read entries, which
is less direct than the action the entry actually represents. This
change makes `deny` the canonical filesystem permission spelling while
preserving compatibility for older configs that still send `none`.
## What changed
- rename `FileSystemAccessMode::None` to `Deny`
- serialize and generate schemas with `deny` as the canonical value
- retain `none` only as a legacy input alias for temporary config
compatibility
- update filesystem glob diagnostics and regression coverage to use the
canonical spelling
- refresh config and app-server schema fixtures to match the new wire
shape
## Validation
- `cargo test -p codex-protocol`
- `cargo test -p codex-app-server-protocol`
- `cargo test -p codex-core config_toml_deserializes_permission_profiles
--lib`
- `cargo test -p codex-core
read_write_glob_patterns_still_reject_non_subpath_globs --lib`
Earlier in the session, a broad `cargo test -p codex-core` run reached
unrelated pre-existing failures in timing/snapshot/git-info tests under
this environment; the targeted surfaces touched by this PR passed
cleanly.
## Why
We want terminal tool review analytics, but the reducer should not stamp
review timing from its own wall clock.
This PR plumbs review timing through the real protocol and app-server
seams so downstream analytics can consume the emitter's timestamps
directly. Guardian reviews keep their enriched `started_at` /
`completed_at` analytics fields by deriving those legacy second-based
values from the same protocol-native millisecond lifecycle timestamps,
rather than sampling a separate analytics clock.
## What changed
- add `started_at_ms` to user approval request payloads
- add `started_at_ms` / `completed_at_ms` to guardian review
notifications
- preserve Guardian review `started_at` / `completed_at` enrichment from
the protocol-native timing source
- stamp typed `ServerResponse` analytics facts with app-server-observed
`completed_at_ms`
- thread the new timing fields through core, protocol, app-server, TUI,
and analytics fixtures
## Verification
- `cargo test -p codex-app-server outgoing_message --manifest-path
codex-rs/Cargo.toml`
- `cargo test -p codex-app-server-protocol guardian --manifest-path
codex-rs/Cargo.toml`
- `cargo test -p codex-tui guardian --manifest-path codex-rs/Cargo.toml`
- `cargo test -p codex-analytics analytics_client_tests --manifest-path
codex-rs/Cargo.toml`
---
[//]: # (BEGIN SAPLING FOOTER)
Stack created with [Sapling](https://sapling-scm.com). Best reviewed
with [ReviewStack](https://reviewstack.dev/openai/codex/pull/21434).
* #18748
* __->__ #21434
* #18747
* #17090
* #17089
* #20514
## Why
The experimental `PermissionProfile` API had both `:cwd` and
`:project_roots` special filesystem paths, which made the permission
root ambiguous. This PR removes the unstable `current_working_directory`
special path before the permissions API is stabilized, so callers use
`:project_roots` for symbolic project-root access.
## What changed
- Removes `FileSystemSpecialPath::CurrentWorkingDirectory` from protocol
and app-server protocol models, plus regenerated app-server
JSON/TypeScript schemas.
- Replaces internal `:cwd` permission entries with `:project_roots`
entries.
- Keeps the existing cwd-update behavior for legacy-shaped
workspace-write profiles, while removing the deleted
`CurrentWorkingDirectory` case from that compatibility path.
- Keeps `PermissionProfile::workspace_write()` as the reusable symbolic
workspace-write helper, with docs noting that `:project_roots` entries
resolve at enforcement time.
- Updates app-server docs/examples and approval UI labeling to stop
advertising `:cwd` as a permission token.
## Compatibility
Persisted rollout items may contain the old
`{"kind":"current_working_directory"}` tag from earlier experimental
`permissionProfile` snapshots. This PR keeps that tag as a
deserialize-only alias for `ProjectRoots { subpath: None }`, while
continuing to serialize only the new `project_roots` tag.
## Follow-up
This PR intentionally does not introduce an explicit project-root set on
`SessionConfiguration` or runtime sandbox resolution. Today, the
resolver still uses the active cwd as the single implicit project root.
A follow-up should model project roots separately from tool cwd so
`:project_roots` entries can resolve against the configured project
roots, and resolve to no entries when there are no project roots.
## Verification
- `cargo test -p codex-protocol permissions:: --lib`
- `cargo test -p codex-app-server-protocol`
- `cargo test -p codex-sandboxing -p codex-exec-server --lib`
- `cargo test -p codex-core session_configuration_apply_ --lib`
- `cargo test -p codex-app-server
command_exec_permission_profile_project_roots_use_command_cwd --test
all`
- `cargo test -p codex-tui
thread_read_session_state_does_not_reuse_primary_permission_profile
--lib`
- `cargo test -p codex-tui
preset_matching_accepts_workspace_write_with_extra_roots --lib`
- `cargo test -p codex-config --lib`
## Why
`item/permissions/requestApproval` sends a requested permission profile
to app-server clients. The core profile already stores filesystem
permissions as `entries`, but the v2 compatibility conversion used the
legacy `read`/`write` projection whenever possible and left `entries`
unset.
That made the request ambiguous for clients that consume the canonical
v2 shape: `permissions.fileSystem.entries` was missing even though
filesystem access was being requested. A client that rendered or echoed
grants from `entries` could treat the request as having no filesystem
permission entries, then return an empty or incomplete grant. The
app-server intersects responses with the original request, so omitted
filesystem permissions are denied.
## What Changed
- Populate `AdditionalFileSystemPermissions.entries` when converting
legacy read/write roots for request permission payloads, while
preserving `read` and `write` for compatibility.
- Mark `read` and `write` as transitional schema fields in the generated
app-server schema.
- Add regression coverage for the v2 conversion, the app-server
`item/permissions/requestApproval` round trip, and TUI app-server
approval conversion expectations.
- Refresh generated JSON and TypeScript schema fixtures.
## Verification
- `just fmt`
- `cargo test -p codex-app-server-protocol`
- `cargo test -p codex-app-server request_permissions_round_trip`
- `cargo test -p codex-tui
converts_request_permissions_into_granted_permissions`
- `cargo test -p codex-tui
resolves_permissions_and_user_input_through_app_server_request_id`
## Summary
When auto-review is enabled, it should handle request_permissions tool.
We'll need to clean up the UX but I'm planning to do that in a separate
pass
## Testing
- [x] Ran locally
<img width="893" height="396" alt="Screenshot 2026-04-17 at 1 16 13 PM"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4c045c5f-1138-4c6c-ac6e-2cb6be4514d8"
/>
---------
Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>
## Summary
- Add `TimedOut` to Guardian/review carrier types:
- `ReviewDecision::TimedOut`
- `GuardianAssessmentStatus::TimedOut`
- app-server v2 `GuardianApprovalReviewStatus::TimedOut`
- Regenerate app-server JSON/TypeScript schemas for the new wire shape.
- Wire the new status through core/app-server/TUI mappings with
conservative fail-closed handling.
- Keep `TimedOut` non-user-selectable in the approval UI.
**Does not change runtime behavior yet; emitting `TimeOut` and
parent-model timeout messaging will come in followup PRs**
## Description
This PR introduces `review_id` as the stable identifier for guardian
reviews and exposes it in app-server `item/autoApprovalReview/started`
and `item/autoApprovalReview/completed` events.
Internally, guardian rejection state is now keyed by `review_id` instead
of the reviewed tool item ID. `target_item_id` is still included when a
review maps to a concrete thread item, but it is no longer overloaded as
the review lifecycle identifier.
## Motivation
We'd like to give users the ability to preempt a guardian review while
it's running (approve or decline).
However, we can't implement the API that allows the user to override a
running guardian review because we didn't have a unique `review_id` per
guardian review. Using `target_item_id` is not correct since:
- with execve reviews, there can be multiple execve calls (and therefore
guardian reviews) per shell command
- with network policy reviews, there is no target item ID
The PR that actually implements user overrides will use `review_id` as
the stable identifier.
## Description
Previously the `action` field on `EventMsg::GuardianAssessment`, which
describes what Guardian is reviewing, was typed as an arbitrary JSON
blob. This PR cleans it up and defines a sum type representing all the
various actions that Guardian can review.
This is a breaking change (on purpose), which is fine because:
- the Codex app / VSCE does not actually use `action` at the moment
- the TUI code that consumes `action` is updated in this PR as well
- rollout files that serialized old `EventMsg::GuardianAssessment` will
just silently drop these guardian events
- the contract is defined as unstable, so other clients have a fair
warning :)
This will make things much easier for followup Guardian work.
## Why
The old guardian review payloads worked, but they pushed too much shape
knowledge into downstream consumers. The TUI had custom JSON parsing
logic for commands, patches, network requests, and MCP calls, and the
app-server protocol was effectively just passing through an opaque blob.
Typing this at the protocol boundary makes the contract clearer.
## Summary
- add `approvals_reviewer = "user" | "guardian_subagent"` as the runtime
control for who reviews approval requests
- route Smart Approvals guardian review through core for command
execution, file changes, managed-network approvals, MCP approvals, and
delegated/subagent approval flows
- expose guardian review in app-server with temporary unstable
`item/autoApprovalReview/{started,completed}` notifications carrying
`targetItemId`, `review`, and `action`
- update the TUI so Smart Approvals can be enabled from `/experimental`,
aligned with the matching `/approvals` mode, and surfaced clearly while
reviews are pending or resolved
## Runtime model
This PR does not introduce a new `approval_policy`.
Instead:
- `approval_policy` still controls when approval is needed
- `approvals_reviewer` controls who reviewable approval requests are
routed to:
- `user`
- `guardian_subagent`
`guardian_subagent` is a carefully prompted reviewer subagent that
gathers relevant context and applies a risk-based decision framework
before approving or denying the request.
The `smart_approvals` feature flag is a rollout/UI gate. Core runtime
behavior keys off `approvals_reviewer`.
When Smart Approvals is enabled from the TUI, it also switches the
current `/approvals` settings to the matching Smart Approvals mode so
users immediately see guardian review in the active thread:
- `approval_policy = on-request`
- `approvals_reviewer = guardian_subagent`
- `sandbox_mode = workspace-write`
Users can still change `/approvals` afterward.
Config-load behavior stays intentionally narrow:
- plain `smart_approvals = true` in `config.toml` remains just the
rollout/UI gate and does not auto-set `approvals_reviewer`
- the deprecated `guardian_approval = true` alias migration does
backfill `approvals_reviewer = "guardian_subagent"` in the same scope
when that reviewer is not already configured there, so old configs
preserve their original guardian-enabled behavior
ARC remains a separate safety check. For MCP tool approvals, ARC
escalations now flow into the configured reviewer instead of always
bypassing guardian and forcing manual review.
## Config stability
The runtime reviewer override is stable, but the config-backed
app-server protocol shape is still settling.
- `thread/start`, `thread/resume`, and `turn/start` keep stable
`approvalsReviewer` overrides
- the config-backed `approvals_reviewer` exposure returned via
`config/read` (including profile-level config) is now marked
`[UNSTABLE]` / experimental in the app-server protocol until we are more
confident in that config surface
## App-server surface
This PR intentionally keeps the guardian app-server shape narrow and
temporary.
It adds generic unstable lifecycle notifications:
- `item/autoApprovalReview/started`
- `item/autoApprovalReview/completed`
with payloads of the form:
- `{ threadId, turnId, targetItemId, review, action? }`
`review` is currently:
- `{ status, riskScore?, riskLevel?, rationale? }`
- where `status` is one of `inProgress`, `approved`, `denied`, or
`aborted`
`action` carries the guardian action summary payload from core when
available. This lets clients render temporary standalone pending-review
UI, including parallel reviews, even when the underlying tool item has
not been emitted yet.
These notifications are explicitly documented as `[UNSTABLE]` and
expected to change soon.
This PR does **not** persist guardian review state onto `thread/read`
tool items. The intended follow-up is to attach guardian review state to
the reviewed tool item lifecycle instead, which would improve
consistency with manual approvals and allow thread history / reconnect
flows to replay guardian review state directly.
## TUI behavior
- `/experimental` exposes the rollout gate as `Smart Approvals`
- enabling it in the TUI enables the feature and switches the current
session to the matching Smart Approvals `/approvals` mode
- disabling it in the TUI clears the persisted `approvals_reviewer`
override when appropriate and returns the session to default manual
review when the effective reviewer changes
- `/approvals` still exposes the reviewer choice directly
- the TUI renders:
- pending guardian review state in the live status footer, including
parallel review aggregation
- resolved approval/denial state in history
## Scope notes
This PR includes the supporting core/runtime work needed to make Smart
Approvals usable end-to-end:
- shell / unified-exec / apply_patch / managed-network / MCP guardian
review
- delegated/subagent approval routing into guardian review
- guardian review risk metadata and action summaries for app-server/TUI
- config/profile/TUI handling for `smart_approvals`, `guardian_approval`
alias migration, and `approvals_reviewer`
- a small internal cleanup of delegated approval forwarding to dedupe
fallback paths and simplify guardian-vs-parent approval waiting (no
intended behavior change)
Out of scope for this PR:
- redesigning the existing manual approval protocol shapes
- persisting guardian review state onto app-server `ThreadItem`s
- delegated MCP elicitation auto-review (the current delegated MCP
guardian shim only covers the legacy `RequestUserInput` path)
---------
Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>
Adam Perry @ OpenAI ·
viyatb-oai ·
rhan-oai ·
Michael Bolin ·
Dylan Hurd ·
Won Park ·
pakrym-oai ·
Owen Lin ·
maja-openai ·
Charley Cunningham ·