[VS Code extension] Support opening Codex sessions as full editor tabs

how can we bring this up? :D

Thanks! I think the main issue is that Codex currently does not feel like a first-class VS Code editor surface.

A possible way to bring this up internally would be to frame it as a VS Code UX parity request:

Request: Add a command like Codex: Open Session in Editor Area / Open Codex as Editor Tab.

Why: Claude Code can occupy the main editor area as a normal tab, while Codex feels constrained to a side-panel / webview-style layout. For long coding-agent sessions, this makes Codex harder to use as the primary workspace.

Expected UX:

• Codex session can open as a normal VS Code editor tab
• It can be moved between editor groups
• It works with Maximize Editor Group and Zen Mode
• It can occupy the central editor area without feeling like a sidebar/chat panel

I think this would make Codex much more usable for people who want to work with it for long coding sessions inside VS Code.

Sometimes, if i find the conversation in the chat interface, i can pin it.
Most times, I cannot find the conversation in the chat and have to find in Codex which doesn't support making it a tab.
It's very annoying. Claude is much better at this.

The issue is that Codex conversations are not consistently accessible from the normal ChatGPT chat interface.

Sometimes I can find the conversation there and pin it, which makes it much easier to continue working. But most of the time I cannot find it, so I have to use the Codex view inside VS Code. Since that view cannot be opened as a normal editor tab, the workflow becomes very frustrating.

For long coding sessions, Claude Code feels much better because it can occupy the main VS Code editor area. I think Codex needs either better conversation access from ChatGPT, or a proper “Open as editor tab” mode inside VS Code.

I found a practical workaround that can be automated by asking a local Codex agent to patch the installed VS Code extension.

This is not a replacement for native support, but it shows that the extension already has most of the required machinery. Existing local conversations can be opened in the VS Code editor area by dispatching the internal webview message navigate-in-new-editor-tab with a route like /local/<conversationId>.

Below is a prompt that another Codex instance can run locally to create a side-by-side patched extension:

````text
You are running locally on my machine. Patch my installed OpenAI Codex VS Code extension by creating a separate local copy called MultiCodex.

Goal:
Create a second VS Code extension that runs next to the official Codex extension and adds a right-click "Open as tab" action for existing local Codex conversations.

Do not modify the official Codex extension directory.

Expected behavior:

• Official openai.chatgpt continues to work unchanged.
• New copied extension is registered as local.multicodex.
• Left-click on a conversation keeps the original sidebar behavior.
• Right-click on a local conversation row shows Open as tab.
• Clicking Open as tab opens that conversation as a normal VS Code editor tab.
• If possible, also add right-click Open as tab to the top-right "new chat" button.

Technical details:

1. Locate the installed Codex extension.

Common local path:

~/.vscode/extensions/openai.chatgpt-*-linux-x64

Common VS Code Remote SSH path:

~/.vscode-server/extensions/openai.chatgpt-*-linux-x64

1. Copy it to a new extension directory with the same version, for example:

~/.vscode/extensions/local.multicodex-<version>-linux-x64

1. Patch package.json in the copied extension:

• set name to multicodex
• set publisher to local
• set displayName to MultiCodex
• set a new stable UUID in __metadata.id
• replace command/context/view ids:
• chatgpt.* -> multicodex.*
• codexViewContainer -> multicodexViewContainer
• codexSecondaryViewContainer -> multicodexSecondaryViewContainer
• remove contribution points that conflict with the official extension:
• enabledApiProposals
• contributes.chatSessions
• contributes.configuration
• contributes.languages
• contributes.grammars
• contributes.menus["chatSessions/newSession"]

1. Patch runtime strings in the copied extension:

• openai-codex -> multicodex-codex
• extensions.getExtension("openai.chatgpt") -> extensions.getExtension("local.multicodex")
• relevant runtime chatgpt.* command/context names -> multicodex.*

1. Find the webview bundle that contains local conversation navigation.

The filename is content-hashed, usually something like:

webview/assets/use-navigate-to-local-conversation-*.js

Keep the original left-click behavior. Do not force left-click to open a tab.

1. Find the webview bundle that renders local conversation rows.

The filename is usually something like:

webview/assets/local-conversation-thread-*.js

Add a right-click context menu item to local conversation rows.

The menu item should be:

Open as tab

Its action should dispatch:

``js
vscodeApi.dispatchMessage("navigate-in-new-editor-tab", {
path: /local/${conversationId},
});
``

1. If the existing context-menu helper expects intl message objects, use:

``js
{
id: "codex.localTaskRow.openAsTab",
defaultMessage: "Open as tab",
description: "Context menu item that opens a local thread in an editor tab"
}
``

1. Optional: patch the top-right "new chat" button.

Search for actionId:\new-chat\`` in the webview assets.

Add a right-click context menu item:

Open as tab

Its action should dispatch:

``js
vscodeApi.dispatchMessage("open-vscode-command", {
command: "multicodex.newCodexPanel",
});
``

Important: if the context menu does not appear, wrap the custom button component in a real DOM element such as a span, because some custom React button components may not forward onContextMenu.

1. Register the copied extension in VS Code’s extension registry.

Local:

~/.vscode/extensions/extensions.json

Remote SSH:

~/.vscode-server/extensions/extensions.json

Add an entry for:

• identifier id: local.multicodex
• uuid: the new stable UUID
• version: same as the copied Codex extension
• location path: copied extension directory
• targetPlatform: linux-x64

1. Verify:

• run syntax checks on patched JS files
• confirm both extensions are visible:

``bash
code --list-extensions --show-versions | grep -E 'openai.chatgpt|local.multicodex'
``

• confirm patched webview assets contain:
• navigate-in-new-editor-tab
• Open as tab
• /local/${conversationId}
• reload VS Code or reconnect to the Remote SSH window.

````

This gives a usable interim solution: the official Codex extension stays untouched, while a local side-by-side copy exposes "Open as tab" for existing sessions. Native support would still be much better, ideally as an official command and context-menu action.

I've found a workaround that doesn't require patching the extension for anyone who's interested :

1. Open the Agent Chat sidebar

<img width="1165" height="940" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4c71a244-31dc-4c17-a986-4b853472681c" />

1. Right-click in the Chat sidebar and uncheck Show Sessions

<img width="1165" height="940" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/28820caa-8083-4edc-a0ed-71b8e75ee12a" />

1. Click the Session History button

<img width="1165" height="940" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/381c479e-2634-4233-a22a-5c1bc325355c" />

1. Select a session, any of them. If you can't see the session you need, select any visible session. You'll be able to select another session once the tab is open

[!NOTE] Sometimes Codex takes forever to load or doesn't load properly. Just restart VSCode and everything should be fine

<img width="1165" height="940" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/8c0613fe-3164-427a-96cc-e6befe3aac2c" />

1. You can now use Codex in a regular tab ! You can also close the Chat sidebar. You can find your other sessions by clicking the Session History button

<img width="1162" height="930" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/5009f7da-f0d7-437d-9622-9d1f7367fc01" />

I use GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, and Kilo Code in VSCode, and they _all_ let me open an editor tab for the chat on a separate screen. It's honestly almost a dealbreaker of a feature for me--I'm not constantly sidescrolling or dragging sidebar widths around just so I can read my code.

found a thread in openai community requesting the same thing, with less attention drawn .... https://community.openai.com/t/feature-request-open-codex-session-as-an-editor-tab-detachable-window-in-vs-code/1382099

Very strange that it not have proper attention, since Claude Code extension have it and it's VERY USEFUL:
<img width="1914" height="1171" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/5b5befca-9396-43cf-9e34-c192911c0e8e" />

But I think it's some sort of bug actually, seems like Anthropic did integration in VS Code in not native way for extensions that working with AI. So it show Claude in right agent panel and at the same time in Primary Side Bar and list of chats everywhere, but this thing allow to have tab like regular code tab

This is especially important for vertical and narrow-screen workflows.

The desired two-column layout is:

[Primary Sidebar: Explorer] [Editor Area: Codex session]

The Explorer must remain visible while Codex occupies all remaining width. Today, Codex is constrained to the Secondary Side Bar: leaving the editor area open wastes a large amount of space, while maximizing the Secondary Side Bar hides the Explorer. Neither option supports this workflow.

Claude Code already supports the desired arrangement by opening its conversation in the editor area. Please add an Open/Move Codex Session to Editor Area command and, if possible, remember that placement per workspace. This would make Codex much more usable on portrait monitors and when several VS Code windows are displayed side by side.

This is the main reason I still prefer Claude Code over Codex in VS Code.

Please allow Codex sessions to open as normal editor tabs instead of being limited to the sidebar.

For long coding sessions, the current sidebar layout is much less comfortable for reading, reviewing diffs, and working in Zen Mode.

This feature would significantly improve the VS Code experience.