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codex/codex-rs/core/src/config_loader
T
Owen Lin ded559680d feat(requirements): support allowed_approval_reviewers (#16701)
## Description

Add requirements.toml support for `allowed_approvals_reviewers =
["user", "guardian_subagent"]`, so admins can now restrict the use of
guardian mode.

Note: If a user sets a reviewer that isn’t allowed by requirements.toml,
config loading falls back to the first allowed reviewer and emits a
startup warning.

The table below describes the possible admin controls.
| Admin intent | `requirements.toml` | User `config.toml` | End result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leave Guardian optional | omit `allowed_approvals_reviewers` or set
`["user", "guardian_subagent"]` | user chooses `approvals_reviewer =
"user"` or `"guardian_subagent"` | Guardian off for `user`, on for
`guardian_subagent` + `approval_policy = "on-request"` |
| Force Guardian off | `allowed_approvals_reviewers = ["user"]` | any
user value | Effective reviewer is `user`; Guardian off |
| Force Guardian on | `allowed_approvals_reviewers =
["guardian_subagent"]` and usually `allowed_approval_policies =
["on-request"]` | any user reviewer value; user should also have
`approval_policy = "on-request"` unless policy is forced | Effective
reviewer is `guardian_subagent`; Guardian on when effective approval
policy is `on-request` |
| Allow both, but default to manual if user does nothing |
`allowed_approvals_reviewers = ["user", "guardian_subagent"]` | omit
`approvals_reviewer` | Effective reviewer is `user`; Guardian off |
| Allow both, and user explicitly opts into Guardian |
`allowed_approvals_reviewers = ["user", "guardian_subagent"]` |
`approvals_reviewer = "guardian_subagent"` and `approval_policy =
"on-request"` | Guardian on |
| Invalid admin config | `allowed_approvals_reviewers = []` | anything |
Config load error |
ded559680d · 2026-04-06 11:11:44 -07:00
History
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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, cwd_opt, cli_overrides, overrides, cloud_requirements) -> 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, disabled_reason}; 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)

Layers with a disabled_reason are still surfaced for UI, but are ignored when computing the effective config and origins metadata. 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 codex_utils_absolute_path::AbsolutePathBuf;
use toml::Value as TomlValue;

let cli_overrides: Vec<(String, TomlValue)> = Vec::new();
let cwd = AbsolutePathBuf::current_dir()?;
let layers = load_config_layers_state(
    &codex_home,
    Some(cwd),
    &cli_overrides,
    LoaderOverrides::default(),
    None,
).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).