Add /aliases local prompt shortcuts for reusable CLI/TUI prompts
What variant of Codex are you using?
CLI / TUI
What feature would you like to see?
I’d like Codex to support lightweight local prompt aliases, managed from a slash command such as /aliases.
The behavior I’m proposing is already implemented in the open-source Interbase CLI and can be tried today:
- Repo: https://github.com/agentsorchestrationcompany/interbase
- Install: brew install agentsorchestrationcompany/homebrew-tap/interbase or npm install -g interbase
- Open the TUI, run /aliases, create an alias such as review, then submit review as the whole prompt.
- Interbase expands the alias to the saved prompt before sending it to the agent.
Desired Codex Behaviour
- Run /aliases to create, update, and delete local prompt aliases.
- Each alias maps a short name to saved prompt text.
- Submitting an exact alias such as review, fix, or ship expands to the saved prompt before submission.
- Aliases are explicitly invoked and are not automatically included in context.
- Alias names are validated, for example no spaces, no leading /, reasonable length.
- Alias prompt bodies are non-empty and stored locally in Codex’s existing config/state area.
- The UI/history should make it clear what prompt was ultimately submitted.
Example aliases:
review -> Please review the current uncommitted changes. Do not modify code.
fix -> Fix the failing tests and explain the root cause.
ship -> Validate the current diff, run the relevant checks, and prepare a concise handoff.
This fills the gap between full Skills, persistent project instructions, and external notes. Many repeated prompts are too small to justify a Skill, but common enough that retyping or copy/pasting them adds friction.
Additional information
Interbase’s implementation may be useful as a reference, not necessarily something Codex needs to copy directly:
- /aliases command and local alias manager: https://github.com/agentsorchestrationcompany/interbase/blob/main/packages/cli-aliases-plugin/src/index.ts
- TUI submit-time expansion: https://github.com/agentsorchestrationcompany/interbase/blob/main/packages/cli-host/src/cli/cmd/tui/component/prompt/index.tsx
- Tests covering storage, validation, exact-match resolution, and dialog flow: https://github.com/agentsorchestrationcompany/interbase/blob/main/packages/cli-aliases-plugin/test/index.test.ts
- README mention of /aliases: https://github.com/agentsorchestrationcompany/interbase#interbase-slash-commands
I searched existing issues for alias, prompt alias, custom slash command, prompt shortcut, and saved prompt. I found related requests around keyboard shortcuts, app prompt snippets, MCP tool aliases, and custom slash commands, but not this exact CLI/TUI prompt-alias behavior.
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