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codex/codex-rs/core/src/config_loader
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Michael Bolin b903285746 feat: migrate to new constraint-based loading strategy (#8251)
This is a significant change to how layers of configuration are applied.
In particular, the `ConfigLayerStack` now has two important fields:

- `layers: Vec<ConfigLayerEntry>`
- `requirements: ConfigRequirements`

We merge `TomlValue`s across the layers, but they are subject to
`ConfigRequirements` before creating a `Config`.

How I would review this PR:

- start with `codex-rs/app-server-protocol/src/protocol/v2.rs` and note
the new variants added to the `ConfigLayerSource` enum:
`LegacyManagedConfigTomlFromFile` and `LegacyManagedConfigTomlFromMdm`
- note that `ConfigLayerSource` now has a `precedence()` method and
implements `PartialOrd`
- `codex-rs/core/src/config_loader/layer_io.rs` is responsible for
loading "admin" preferences from `/etc/codex/managed_config.toml` and
MDM. Because `/etc/codex/managed_config.toml` is now deprecated in favor
of `/etc/codex/requirements.toml` and `/etc/codex/config.toml`, we now
include some extra information on the `LoadedConfigLayers` returned in
`layer_io.rs`.
- `codex-rs/core/src/config_loader/mod.rs` has major changes to
`load_config_layers_state()`, which is what produces `ConfigLayerStack`.
The docstring has the new specification and describes the various layers
that will be loaded and the precedence order.
- It uses the information from `LoaderOverrides` "twice," both in the
spirit of legacy support:
- We use one instances to derive an instance of `ConfigRequirements`.
Currently, the only field in `managed_config.toml` that contributes to
`ConfigRequirements` is `approval_policy`. This PR introduces
`Constrained::allow_only()` to support this.
- We use a clone of `LoaderOverrides` to derive
`ConfigLayerSource::LegacyManagedConfigTomlFromFile` and
`ConfigLayerSource::LegacyManagedConfigTomlFromMdm` layers, as
appropriate. As before, this ends up being a "best effort" at enterprise
controls, but is enforcement is not guaranteed like it is for
`ConfigRequirements`.
- Now we only create a "user" layer if `$CODEX_HOME/config.toml` exists.
(Previously, a user layer was always created for `ConfigLayerStack`.)
- Similarly, we only add a "session flags" layer if there are CLI
overrides.
- `config_loader/state.rs` contains the updated implementation for
`ConfigLayerStack`. Note the public API is largely the same as before,
but the implementation is quite different. We leverage the fact that
`ConfigLayerSource` is now `PartialOrd` to ensure layers are in the
correct order.
- A `Config` constructed via `ConfigBuilder.build()` will use
`load_config_layers_state()` to create the `ConfigLayerStack` and use
the associated `ConfigRequirements` when constructing the `Config`
object.
- That said, a `Config` constructed via
`Config::load_from_base_config_with_overrides()` does _not_ yet use
`ConfigBuilder`, so it creates a `ConfigRequirements::default()` instead
of loading a proper `ConfigRequirements`. I will fix this in a
subsequent PR.

Then the following files are mostly test changes:

```
codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/v2/config_rpc.rs
codex-rs/core/src/config/service.rs
codex-rs/core/src/config_loader/tests.rs
```

Again, because we do not always include "user" and "session flags"
layers when the contents are empty, `ConfigLayerStack` sometimes has
fewer layers than before (and the precedence order changed slightly),
which is the main reason integration tests changed.
b903285746 · 2025-12-18 10:06:05 -08:00
History
..

codex-core config loader

This module is the canonical place to load and describe Codex configuration layers (user config, CLI/session overrides, managed config, and MDM-managed preferences) and to produce:

  • An effective merged TOML config.
  • Per-key origins metadata (which layer “wins” for a given key).
  • Per-layer versions (stable fingerprints) used for optimistic concurrency / conflict detection.

Public surface

Exported from codex_core::config_loader:

  • load_config_layers_state(codex_home, cli_overrides, overrides) -> ConfigLayerStack
  • ConfigLayerStack
    • effective_config() -> toml::Value
    • origins() -> HashMap<String, ConfigLayerMetadata>
    • layers_high_to_low() -> Vec<ConfigLayer>
    • with_user_config(user_config) -> ConfigLayerStack
  • ConfigLayerEntry (one layers {name, config, version}; name carries source metadata)
  • LoaderOverrides (test/override hooks for managed config sources)
  • merge_toml_values(base, overlay) (public helper used elsewhere)

Layering model

Precedence is top overrides bottom:

  1. MDM managed preferences (macOS only)
  2. System managed config (e.g. managed_config.toml)
  3. Session flags (CLI overrides, applied as dotted-path TOML writes)
  4. User config (config.toml)

This is what ConfigLayerStack::effective_config() implements.

Typical usage

Most callers want the effective config plus metadata:

use codex_core::config_loader::{load_config_layers_state, LoaderOverrides};
use toml::Value as TomlValue;

let cli_overrides: Vec<(String, TomlValue)> = Vec::new();
let layers = load_config_layers_state(
    &codex_home,
    &cli_overrides,
    LoaderOverrides::default(),
).await?;

let effective = layers.effective_config();
let origins = layers.origins();
let layers_for_ui = layers.layers_high_to_low();

Internal layout

Implementation is split by concern:

  • state.rs: public types (ConfigLayerEntry, ConfigLayerStack) + merge/origins convenience methods.
  • layer_io.rs: reading config.toml, managed config, and managed preferences inputs.
  • overrides.rs: CLI dotted-path overrides → TOML “session flags” layer.
  • merge.rs: recursive TOML merge.
  • fingerprint.rs: stable per-layer hashing and per-key origins traversal.
  • macos.rs: managed preferences integration (macOS only).