deepseek-harness/packages/subagent/subagent-codex/README.md

# @deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-codex

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This package registers the fixed `codex` subagent provider. Each accepted run starts the official `codex app-server --stdio` command in the delegating Session's workspace, creates one ephemeral Codex thread, submits one self-contained text task, and returns either the selected final answer or safe failure detail through the shared [`dsh-subagent`](../subagent/README.md) result contract.

## Start and ownership

`start(request)` accepts only a non-empty sequence of text blocks and derives the child cwd from the parent Session. It then spawns the fixed command through [`dsh-subprocess`](../../subprocess/subprocess/README.md), performs `initialize` → `initialized`, maps the Profile-selected mode into official `thread/start` approval/reviewer/sandbox fields beside `{ cwd, ephemeral: true }`, and publishes the run only after Codex returns a valid ephemeral thread. A failure or cancellation before publication closes the wire, terminates the managed process tree, waits for it to exit, and rejects `start()`. Non-cancellation rejections expose only the fixed `initialize` or `thread-start` stage plus an already observed process outcome; raw product and Host errors remain on internal cause chains.

The published `run.result` starts exactly one turn. It accepts only notifications for that run's thread and turn, then waits for the authoritative `turn/completed` terminal notification. The latest `agentMessage` with `phase: "final_answer"` wins; when Codex emits no explicit final phase, the latest message with `phase: null` is the compatibility fallback. Commentary never replaces either answer, and a successful turn with no nonblank answer settles as an error.

For command and file approvals, the unattended provider selects a non-approval decision offered by the request, preferring `cancel`; the stable 0.147.0 request shape without an offered-decision list falls back to `decline`. It answers permission requests with an empty turn-scoped permission set, answers user-input requests with no answers, and declines MCP elicitation. A request with no legal unattended response, or any unknown server request, fails the run. The wire records only the effective mode, request category, decision, and fixed safe reason. It also recognizes declined command/file items and `sandboxError` terminals. Codex 0.147.0 writes some early `never` rejections and sandbox violations only to structured stderr, so the Provider pipes stderr, forwards it unchanged to the host, and matches two fixed signatures in a bounded per-run tail; raw stderr never enters the diagnostic.

Local cancellation wins the result race and maps to `aborted`. For failed turns, the diagnostic preserves all eleven string and five object variants in the Codex 0.147.0 `codexErrorInfo` union; the four connection/stream variants retain a numeric `httpStatusCode` when supplied, while `activeTurnNotSteerable` does not expose `turnKind`. The diagnostic also names `turn-start`, `turn`, or `process`, independently includes available exit code and signal, and uses `unknown` for unrecognized or malformed values without copying raw fields. `contextWindowExceeded` remains `max-tokens`; every other remote interruption or failure remains `error`, and the provider produces no `refusal`. A contributing permission decision follows the structured failure line. Successful and locally cancelled runs omit both facts.

`dispose()` is idempotent: it requests a best-effort `turn/interrupt` with both current ids when they are known, closes the JSON-RPC wire, ends stdin, invokes the shared process-tree termination escalation, waits for whole-tree exit, and detaches the stderr observer. Independent cleanup rejection uses the fixed `teardown` stage and any available process outcome. When startup and rollback both fail, the top-level aggregate message preserves both safe stage lines while the raw failures remain internal.

## Capabilities and context

The provider advertises no optional start-time capabilities and reports `inheritsParentContext: false`. Codex receives the standalone text task and the parent Session cwd, but not the parent conversation, persona, tool filter, depth policy, or structured-output contract. The ephemeral Codex thread id and turn id stay private to this run and are never persisted in the parent Session.

## Configuration

| Key | Default | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| `env` | `{}` | Explicit child environment layered over the subprocess seam's credential-scrubbed parent environment. |
| `permissionMode` | `never` | Native non-interactive approval and sandbox mode fixed for every thread from this Provider instance. |
| `disposeGraceMs` | `3000` | Positive finite grace in milliseconds, no greater than [`MAX_TIMER_DELAY_MS`](../../util/timeout/README.md), between the shared process-tree owner's termination tiers; disposal then waits for whole-tree exit. |

| `permissionMode` value | `thread/start` fields | Native behavior |
|---|---|---|
| `never` | `approvalPolicy: never`; sandbox omitted | Never ask for approval; execution failures return to the model under the native sandbox. |
| `approve-for-me` | `approvalPolicy: on-request`, `approvalsReviewer: auto_review`, `sandbox: workspace-write` | Route permission requests through Codex automatic review without a human. |
| `dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox` | `approvalPolicy: never`, `sandbox: danger-full-access` | Skip approval and sandbox enforcement; this value must be selected explicitly. |

Production resolves `codex` from `PATH` and uses the host's native Codex configuration and authentication. The Provider overrides only the selected thread approval/reviewer/sandbox fields; all other `CODEX_HOME`, project, model, provider, MCP, hook, skill, and account settings remain native. The plugin does not install Codex, select a model, create `CODEX_HOME`, log in, or probe a version. Credential-shaped ambient variables are removed by the subprocess seam, so an API key intended for the child must be supplied explicitly in `env`; ordinary ambient values such as `PATH` and `HOME` remain available unless overridden.

Production `dsh` does not install or mount this optional provider. A Profile that opts in must install `@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-codex` and mount it once on the host plane; loading the provider starts no Codex process until a tool call. Full Agent Presets carry a matching product tool row with `disabled: true`; copy a preset and remove that field to expose `subagent_codex` only to agents composed from the copy. Its `one-shot` policy keeps omitted or `false` `run_in_background` calls in the foreground, while explicit `true` returns a parent-owned Job id for `job_output` or `job_kill`. The base host and full presets already provide the generic Job registry and controls.

The standalone composition below shows the complete explicit capability. A Profile based on `@deepseek-ai/dsh-base` keeps its existing Job rows, adds the product provider row, and enables the preset tool row instead of mounting duplicate Job services.

```yaml
- id: subagent-codex
  name: '@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-codex'
  config:
    permissionMode: approve-for-me
    env:
      OPENAI_API_KEY: !!js process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY

- id: jobs
  name: '@deepseek-ai/dsh-jobs-local'

- id: tool-jobs
  name: '@deepseek-ai/dsh-tool-jobs'

- id: tool-subagent-codex
  name: '@deepseek-ai/dsh-tool-subagent'
  config:
    provider: codex
    toolName: subagent_codex
    backgroundMode: one-shot
    maxDepth: provider-managed
```

## Product compatibility and evidence

The production wire intentionally implements only the app-server methods required by this one-shot contract. Development evidence is pinned to `@openai/codex@0.147.0` / `codex-cli 0.147.0`; the npm package is a test-only dependency, and deployments still supply `codex` on `PATH`. Generated schema evidence pins the complete current error union and HTTP-status locations. Real-product coverage proves that thread-level `never` overrides an ambient `on-request`, automatic review starts through the official app-server, dangerous bypass writes only in suite-owned temporary storage, a real service failure becomes `internalServerError`, process/protocol failure remains safe and quiescent, raw commands and paths stay out of diagnostics, and every wrapper/native process exits.

## Model Experience

### Child request

#### What the model sees

The Codex child receives the standalone text blocks as one turn in a fresh ephemeral thread. Its workspace is the parent Session cwd; its model, system instructions, tools, and authentication come from the native Codex installation and configuration, while the Provider's Profile configuration fixes the thread's non-interactive approval and sandbox mode.

#### Token effect

The child pays for an independent Codex context and turn. Child tokens do not enter the parent's context.

#### KV Cache effect

Independent of the parent request cache. Reuse depends only on Codex's own provider, model, instructions, tools, and ephemeral-thread request.

### Parent scheduling and results, indirectly

#### What the model sees

Through `dsh-tool-subagent`, a foreground call gives the parent the selected final Codex answer or an error containing the stop reason and optional safe diagnostic for a non-completed result. The diagnostic can distinguish the fixed error-info category, protocol stage, numeric HTTP status, and observed process outcome without copying product prose. A background call first returns a Job id; the generic job controls later deliver a completion notice, expose the same final answer or failed status detail through `job_output`, and let `job_kill` request cancellation. Codex commentary, reasoning, tool activity, raw stderr, workspace diffs, usage, product ids, commands, paths, and protocol payloads are not copied into the parent Session.

#### Token effect

Foreground input grows by the retained final answer or error. Background input also includes the start acknowledgement, completion notice, and any `job_output`, `job_kill`, or later status results; child tokens still do not enter the parent context. This provider adds no parent tool schema by itself.

#### KV Cache effect

Append-only: foreground adds one result after the reusable parent prefix, while background appends the Job acknowledgement, notice, and later control or collection results. Background scheduling can add a notice-driven turn, but none of these messages rewrites the earlier prefix.

## Known Limitations and Deferred Work

- **One fresh process, thread, and turn per run** — there is no continuation, resume, pooling, progress stream, or product-session persistence.
- **Host-managed product installation and account state** — a missing or incompatible `codex`, configuration error, or authentication failure is surfaced with its lifecycle stage and the safe `unknown` fallback rather than a separate public taxonomy; the plugin provides no installer, login flow, or runtime version gate.
- **Compatibility is pinned by development evidence** — upgrading from the verified 0.147.0 protocol baseline requires regenerating upstream schema evidence and rerunning handshake, answer-selection, approval, cancellation, keyless real-product, and credentialed DeepSeek nonce tests.
- **No human approval path** — known unattended approval requests are denied and unknown server requests fail closed; the three Profile modes never create a DSH interaction channel or per-call allow policy.
- **Assistant payload is final text only** — a failed run may additionally expose the separate safe diagnostic; reasoning, commentary, intermediate messages, tool traffic, usage, raw stderr, and workspace diffs remain outside the parent Session, while generic Job ids, notices, and status come from the shared job runtime.
- **No optional shared capabilities** — output schemas, child personas, tool filtering, and harness depth enforcement are rejected by the shared service for this provider.
- **No wall-clock timeout or side-effect rollback** — the caller cancels long work, and files or external systems changed before cancellation are not restored.