Claude Code (from Anthropic) and Codex (from OpenAI) are coding agents that work in your terminal. They are very alike. Here we compare what matters so you can choose.
What they are
Both are coding agents that run in your terminal: they read your repo, write code, run commands and work on multi-step tasks using natural language.
How they are alike
- They edit files and run commands for you.
- They understand your project's context.
- They extend with tools and MCP servers.
How they differ
- Extension ecosystem: Claude Code has skills (
SKILL.md), plugins and a big community ecosystem. Codex leans on its agents SDK and OpenAI's style. - Models: each one defaults to its own house models (Claude vs GPT).
- Configuration: Claude Code uses
CLAUDE.md; agents compatible with AGENTS.md (including Codex) useAGENTS.md.
Which one to pick
- If you want the richest ecosystem of skills, MCP and plugins today: Claude Code.
- If you live in the OpenAI world and its agents SDK: Codex.
- Many teams use both depending on the task. You don't have to pick just one.
Related: Resources for Claude Code · Resources for Codex
Can I use the same MCPs in both?
Yes. MCP is an open standard, so the same MCP server usually works in Claude Code and in compatible clients like Codex.
