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Migrate To Codex

OpenAIOfficialPublished by OpenAI

  • Skill
  • Workflow
  • Automation and integrations
  • Apache-2.0
  • Low risk
  • Has scripts

From the author

Migrate supported instruction files, skills, agents, and MCP config into Codex project and global files.
— the description by OpenAI

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

The migrate-to-codex skill provides a structured, automated procedure to migrate existing Claude Code setups into the Codex ecosystem. It handles the conversion of instruction files, slash commands, skills, agents, and MCP server configurations. The tool follows a rigorous process involving scanning, planning, dry-running, and validating the migration to ensure artifacts are correctly mapped while preserving project-specific configurations. It includes a self-healing loop to resolve manual migration requirements and ensures that generated Codex artifacts are validated against target standards.

What it does

  • Converts Claude Code instruction files into Codex-compatible formats.
  • Migrates slash commands and skills into the Codex skill structure.
  • Updates MCP server configurations for use in Codex.
  • Generates a migration report detailing added items and manual review requirements.
  • Validates generated Codex artifacts to ensure configuration integrity.
  • Provides a dry-run mode to preview changes before applying them.

When to use it

  • When transitioning a development environment from Claude Code to Codex.
  • When you need to port custom skills or agents to a new Codex project.
  • When updating global or project-level configurations to align with Codex standards.
  • When you need to verify the readiness of existing Claude artifacts for Codex.

Advantages

  • Automates complex migration steps, reducing manual effort.
  • Provides clear reporting on what was successfully migrated and what requires manual attention.
  • Includes a self-healing loop to iteratively resolve migration issues.
  • Ensures project-specific configurations are preserved during the transition.
  • Validates targets post-migration to prevent configuration errors.

Usage examples

“Run a scan to see what Claude artifacts are available for migration.”
The tool lists active and inactive source surfaces from the specified Claude directory.
“Perform a dry-run migration of my project settings to Codex.”
The tool generates a plan and reports potential changes without modifying any files.
“Execute the full migration of my global Claude configuration to Codex.”
The tool migrates instructions, skills, and MCP configs, creating a report of the results.
“Validate the Codex target after my migration.”
The tool checks the generated Codex files for errors and reports any remaining manual fixes.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/openai/migrate-to-codex/download
  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip migrate-to-codex.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by OpenAI

Migrate to Codex

Autonomy

Keep going until the selected migration is completely done: run the migrator, inspect the report, fix migrated Codex instructions/skills/agents/MCP config, and re-run checks without stopping to ask for confirmation of the next step. If the user has selected a target, do not ask before creating, editing, replacing, or deleting generated Codex artifacts in that target (AGENTS.md, .codex/, .agents/, or ~/.codex/). Preserve unrelated existing Codex config entries in .codex/config.toml or ~/.codex/config.toml, such as notify, projects, marketplaces, or unrelated MCP servers; do not ask about them unless they fail validation or directly conflict with the migration. Do not edit source Claude Code files (.claude/, ~/.claude/, .mcp.json, or .claude.json), unrelated project code, secrets, or another repository.

Migration Order

Run the migration in this order for each selected global or project source:

  1. Start by using Codex's built-in TODO/task list tool. Do not create MIGRATION_TODOS.md or any TODO file unless the user explicitly asks. The TODO list input has a plan array whose items each have step and status; use statuses pending, in_progress, and completed. Make the TODOs specific to the selected artifacts. Before finishing, update the TODO list so every finished step is marked completed and no step remains in_progress. Use literal source → Codex target labels, for example:

    • Inspect .claude/commands → Codex skills/prompts

    • Inspect .claude/agents → .codex/agents

    • Inspect .mcp.json → .codex/config.toml MCP servers

    • Inspect .claude/settings.json hooks → .codex/hooks.json

    • Migrate safe selected artifacts → Codex files

    • Validate generated .codex/config.toml

    • Validate generated .codex/agents

    • Report migrated artifacts and manual-review items

  2. Read references/differences.md (and refresh Codex docs if its Docs last checked date is old).

  3. Scan and inspect before writing:

    • --scan-only lists active and inactive source surfaces.

    • --plan prints staged Codex artifact paths and report rows.

    • --doctor summarizes readiness, manual-review work, and validation risks.

  4. Convert surfaces in the same order the CLI uses:

    • instructions: CLAUDE.md / AGENTS.md to AGENTS.md

    • plugins: report Claude plugin trees and marketplaces as manual migration work

    • hooks: rewrite supported Claude hooks into .codex/hooks.json and enable [features].codex_hooks = true

    • skills and commands: write Codex skills under .agents/skills/

    • config: write .codex/config.toml from Claude model/sandbox settings and MCP servers, including personality = "friendly" when config is generated

    • subagents: write Codex custom agents under .codex/agents/

  5. Dry-run, then write the selected target. Use --replace only when orphan generated skills or agents should be deleted.

  6. Inspect the terminal output and .codex/migrate-to-codex-report.txt after real runs.

  7. Review generated artifacts in this order: AGENTS.md, .agents/skills/, .codex/config.toml, .codex/hooks.json, .codex/agents/, then report-only plugin items.

  8. Run --validate-target against each target after edits.

  9. Re-run checks and --dry-run after edits.

  10. Return the final migration report as one markdown table per scope that has rows. The tables cover only the non-native follow-up migration work you performed, such as skills created from slash commands, subagents, MCP servers, hooks, unsupported/local plugin notes, and manual-review caveats. Include programmatic native import rows for config, instructions, skills, or supported plugins only if you personally migrated them in this follow-up run.

    If only one scope has rows, render only the table with no heading. If multiple scopes have rows, render one heading before each table. Use **User Config** for user-scope rows. For project-scope rows, use the actual project folder name as the heading, for example **northstar-support-portal**; do not use Current Project as the heading. Do not add prose before or after the table output.

    Use exactly these columns:

    northstar-support-portal

    StatusItemNotes
    AddedSlash command pr-reviewConverted into a Codex skill
    AddedSubagent release-leadAdded as a Codex subagent
    Check before usingHook PreToolUseConverted, but some Claude hook behavior differs in Codex
    Not AddedHook NotificationCodex does not have an equivalent notification hook
    Not AddedPlugin team-macrosPlugin needs manual setup

    Status must be Added, Check before using, or Not Added. Use Added when a Codex-facing artifact was created or changed and needs no special review. Use Check before using when a Codex-facing artifact was created or changed but the migration changed semantics, inferred behavior, preserved tool rules as guidance, or dropped unsupported behavior. Use Not Added when a source artifact was detected but no Codex-facing artifact was created. Item combines the artifact type and concrete item name in one cell. Artifact type must be singular: Skill, Slash command, Subagent, MCP, Hook, or Plugin. Wrap the artifact type in inline code; write the item name as plain text after it. Notes is always required; never leave it empty. Keep notes short, plain, and literal. Avoid internal implementation terms such as runtime expansion. Prefer phrases like Converted into a Codex skill, Added as a Codex subagent, Added to Codex config, Converted into a Codex hook, Converted, but some Claude hook behavior differs in Codex, Codex does not have an equivalent notification hook, Plugin needs manual setup, or Plugin marketplace needs manual setup.

Self-Healing Loop

Keep looping until the selected migration is complete:

  1. Run --plan or --doctor.

  2. Run the migration with --dry-run.

  3. Run the migration for real.

  4. Fix every generated ## MANUAL MIGRATION REQUIRED block and every manual_fix_required or skipped report row that can be resolved inside Codex artifacts.

  5. Run --validate-target.

  6. Re-run the migrator and validator until the report and validator have no actionable generated-artifact fixes left.

Do not edit source Claude Code files, unrelated project code, secrets, or another repository during this loop. If a report row requires source-provider changes or product judgment, leave the generated Codex artifact with clear manual guidance instead of changing the source.

Commands

Choose the migrator command.

MIGRATE_TO_CODEX='python3 .codex/skills/migrate-to-codex/scripts/migrate-to-codex.py'

Inspect the migration before writing.

$MIGRATE_TO_CODEX --source ~/.claude/ --scan-only
$MIGRATE_TO_CODEX --source ~/.claude/ --target ~/.codex/ --plan
$MIGRATE_TO_CODEX --source ~/.claude/ --target ~/.codex/ --doctor

Dry-run, then run without --dry-run, for global and project.

$MIGRATE_TO_CODEX --source ~/.claude/ --target ~/.codex/ --dry-run
$MIGRATE_TO_CODEX --source ~/.claude/ --target ~/.codex/
$MIGRATE_TO_CODEX --source ./.claude/ --target ./.codex/ --dry-run
$MIGRATE_TO_CODEX --source ./.claude/ --target ./.codex/

Run the post-migration validator against each target after edits.

$MIGRATE_TO_CODEX --validate-target ~/.codex/
$MIGRATE_TO_CODEX --validate-target ./.codex/

Run $MIGRATE_TO_CODEX --help for flags (--scan-only, --plan, --doctor, --validate-target, defaults, and so on). Deep tables and more links are in references/differences.md.

Files

scripts/migrate/skills.py

"""Convert Claude Code skills and commands into Codex skills.

Reads `.claude/skills/<name>/SKILL.md` and `.claude/skills/<name>.md`, then emits
`.agents/skills/<name>/SKILL.md` plus supported helper directories for directory
skills. Also wraps `.claude/commands/*.md` as
one-file Codex skills. Runtime placeholders, file expansion, shell
interpolation, and unsupported metadata are preserved with manual-review
caveats.
"""

from __future__ import annotations

import re
from collections.abc import Sequence
from pathlib import Path

from migrate.common import (
    CODEX_SKILLS_ROOT,
    ArtifactKind,
    ConversionResult,
    GeneratedText,
    MigrationReportItem,
    ParsedDocument,
    PlannedArtifact,
    SimpleYamlFrontmatter,
    append_report_item,
    format_bullets,
    format_frontmatter,
    format_manual_migration_block,
    is_path_within_root,
    manual_report_item,
    parse_frontmatter,
    unsupported_frontmatter_fields,
)
from utils.util import slugify_name


COMMAND_FILE_SOURCES = (
    (Path(".claude") / "commands", "source-command", "source command"),
)

SKILL_SOURCE_ROOTS = (
    Path(".claude") / "skills",
)
SKILL_SUPPORT_DIRS = ("scripts", "references", "assets")


def iter_skill_files(source_root: Path) -> tuple[Path, ...]:
    if not source_root.exists():
        return ()
    single_file_skills = tuple(
        source_file
        for source_file in sorted(source_root.glob("*.md"))
        if source_file.stem != "README"
    )
    directory_skills = tuple(sorted(source_root.glob("*/SKILL.md")))
    return single_file_skills + directory_skills


def skill_target_name(source_file: Path) -> str:
    if source_file.name == "SKILL.md":
        return source_file.parent.name
    return source_file.stem


def command_caveats(
    template: str,
    unsupported_fields: Sequence[str],
) -> tuple[str, ...]:
    caveats: list[str] = []
    if re.search(r"\$(ARGUMENTS|\d+)\b", template):
        caveats.append(
            "Provider argument placeholders like `$ARGUMENTS` or `$1` were preserved as text; rewrite them into natural-language instructions for Codex."
        )
    if "{{" in template and "}}" in template:
        caveats.append(
            "Provider template variables like `{{name}}` were preserved as text; rewrite them into natural-language instructions for Codex."
        )
    if re.search(r"!\s*`", template):
        caveats.append(
            "Provider shell-output interpolation like ``!`command` `` was preserved as text; replace it with explicit Codex instructions to run the command when needed."
        )
    if re.search(r"(^|\s)@[\w./~:-]+", template):
        caveats.append(
            "Provider automatic file-reference expansion was preserved as text; verify Codex should read those files explicitly."
        )
    if unsupported_fields:
        caveats.append(
            "Review unsupported command metadata manually: "
            + ", ".join(f"`{field_name}`" for field_name in unsupported_fields)
            + "."
        )
    return tuple(caveats)


def convert_skills(source_root: Path) -> ConversionResult:
    result = convert_skill_files(source_root / ".claude" / "skills")
    result.add(convert_command_skills(source_root))
    return result


def convert_skill_files(source_root: Path) -> ConversionResult:
    result = ConversionResult()
    for source_file in iter_skill_files(source_root):
        artifacts, report_item = convert_skill_file(source_file)
        result.artifacts.extend(artifacts)
        result.summary.skills += 1
        result.report_items.append(report_item)
    return result


def convert_command_skills(source_root: Path) -> ConversionResult:
    result = ConversionResult()
    for command_source_root, name_prefix, provider in COMMAND_FILE_SOURCES:
        result.add(
            convert_markdown_command_files(
                source_root / command_source_root,
                name_prefix,
                provider,
            )
        )
    return result


def codex_skill_frontmatter(name: str, description: str) -> SimpleYamlFrontmatter:
    return SimpleYamlFrontmatter(
        {
            "name": name,
            "description": description,
        }
    )


def convert_skill_file(source_file: Path) -> tuple[list[PlannedArtifact], MigrationReportItem]:
    document = ParsedDocument.from_file(source_file)
    name = document.frontmatter.required_string("name")
    description = document.frontmatter.required_string("description")
    allowed_tools = document.frontmatter.string_tuple("allowed-tools")
    unsupported_fields = unsupported_frontmatter_fields(
        document.frontmatter.to_dict(),
        ("name", "description", "allowed-tools"),
    )
    artifacts = [
        PlannedArtifact(
            relative_path=CODEX_SKILLS_ROOT / skill_target_name(source_file) / "SKILL.md",
            payload=GeneratedText(
                render_skill(
                    document.body,
                    name=name,
                    description=description,
                    allowed_tools=allowed_tools,
                    unsupported_fields=unsupported_fields,
                )
            ),
            kind=ArtifactKind.SKILL,
        )
    ]
    artifacts.extend(skill_support_artifacts(source_file))
    return artifacts, skill_report_item(source_file, allowed_tools, unsupported_fields)


def skill_support_artifacts(source_file: Path) -> list[PlannedArtifact]:
    if source_file.name != "SKILL.md":
        return []

    artifacts: list[PlannedArtifact] = []
    skill_root = source_file.parent
    target_root = CODEX_SKILLS_ROOT / skill_root.name
    source_files: list[Path] = []
    for dirname in SKILL_SUPPORT_DIRS:
        source_dir = skill_root / dirname
        if not source_dir.exists():
            continue
        source_files.extend(
            source_file
            for source_file in source_dir.rglob("*")
            if source_file.is_file() and is_path_within_root(source_file, skill_root)
        )
    for support_file in sorted(
        source_files,
        key=lambda path: path.relative_to(skill_root).as_posix(),
    ):
        artifacts.append(
            PlannedArtifact.from_source_file(
                support_file,
                target_root / support_file.relative_to(skill_root),
            )
        )
    return artifacts


def render_skill(
    body: str,
    *,
    name: str,
    description: str,
    allowed_tools: tuple[str, ...],
    unsupported_fields: tuple[str, ...],
) -> str:
    return format_frontmatter(
        codex_skill_frontmatter(name, description),
        render_skill_body(body, allowed_tools, unsupported_fields),
    )


def render_skill_body(
    body: str,
    allowed_tools: tuple[str, ...],
    unsupported_fields: tuple[str, ...],
) -> str:
    manual_notes: list[str] = []
    if allowed_tools:
        manual_notes.append(
            "Claude `allowed-tools` was preserved as prompt guidance, not a Codex permission boundary.\n\n"
            "You're allowed to use these tools:\n\n"
            f"{format_bullets(allowed_tools)}"
        )
    if unsupported_fields:
        manual_notes.append(
            "Review unsupported Claude skill fields manually: "
            f"{', '.join(f'`{field_name}`' for field_name in unsupported_fields)}."
        )

    if not manual_notes:
        return body

    return f"{body.rstrip()}\n\n{format_manual_migration_block(manual_notes)}\n"


def skill_report_detail(
    allowed_tools: tuple[str, ...],
    unsupported_fields: tuple[str, ...],
) -> str:
    caveats: list[str] = []
    if allowed_tools:
        caveats.append("allowed-tools")
    caveats.extend(unsupported_fields)
    if not caveats:
        return "Converted Claude skill."
    return (
        "Manual review required for Claude skill fields: "
        + ", ".join(f"`{field_name}`" for field_name in caveats)
        + "."
    )


def skill_report_item(
    source_file: Path,
    allowed_tools: tuple[str, ...],
    unsupported_fields: tuple[str, ...],
) -> MigrationReportItem:
    report_items: list[MigrationReportItem] = []
    detail = skill_report_detail(allowed_tools, unsupported_fields)
    append_report_item(
        report_items,
        allowed_tools or unsupported_fields,
        CODEX_SKILLS_ROOT / skill_target_name(source_file) / "SKILL.md",
        detail,
        detail,
    )
    return report_items[0]


def convert_markdown_command_files(
    source_root: Path,
    name_prefix: str,
    provider: str,
) -> ConversionResult:
    result = ConversionResult()
    if not source_root.exists():
        return result
    for source_file in sorted(source_root.rglob("*.md")):
        artifact, report_item = convert_command_file(
            source_root,
            source_file,
            name_prefix,
            provider,
        )
        result.artifacts.append(artifact)
        result.summary.skills += 1
        result.report_items.append(report_item)
    return result


def convert_command_file(
    source_root: Path,
    source_file: Path,
    name_prefix: str,
    provider: str,
) -> tuple[PlannedArtifact, MigrationReportItem]:
    document = ParsedDocument.from_file(source_file)
    source_name = "-".join(source_file.relative_to(source_root).with_suffix("").parts)
    name = slugify_name(f"{name_prefix}-{source_name}")
    description = document.frontmatter.optional_string("description")
    if not description:
        description = f"Run the migrated {provider} `{source_name}`."
    unsupported_fields = unsupported_frontmatter_fields(
        document.frontmatter.to_dict(),
        ("description",),
    )
    caveats = command_caveats(document.body, unsupported_fields)
    artifact = PlannedArtifact(
        relative_path=CODEX_SKILLS_ROOT / name / "SKILL.md",
        payload=GeneratedText(
            render_command_skill(
                document.body,
                name=name,
                description=description,
                provider=provider,
                source_name=source_name,
                caveats=caveats,
            )
        ),
        kind=ArtifactKind.SKILL,
    )
    return artifact, command_report_item(name, provider, source_name)


def render_command_skill(
    body: str,
    *,
    name: str,
    description: str,
    provider: str,
    source_name: str,
    caveats: tuple[str, ...],
) -> str:
    manual_notes = [
        f"Migrated from {provider} `{source_name}` into a Codex skill. "
        f"Invoke it as `${name}` and manually rewrite any slash-command behavior that depended on provider-specific runtime expansion."
    ]
    manual_notes.extend(caveats)
    template_body = body.strip() or "No command template body was found."
    return format_frontmatter(
        codex_skill_frontmatter(name, description),
        f"# {name}\n\n"
        "Use this skill when the user asks to run the migrated "
        f"{provider} `{source_name}`.\n\n"
        "## Command Template\n\n"
        f"{template_body}\n\n"
        f"{format_manual_migration_block(manual_notes)}\n",
    )


def validate_skill_files(target_root: Path) -> list[MigrationReportItem]:
    skills_root = target_root / CODEX_SKILLS_ROOT
    if not skills_root.exists():
        return []

    report_items: list[MigrationReportItem] = []
    for skill_file in sorted(skills_root.glob("*/SKILL.md")):
        relative_path = skill_file.relative_to(target_root)
        document = parse_frontmatter(skill_file.read_text(), skill_file)
        missing = [
            key
            for key in ("name", "description")
            if not document.frontmatter.optional_string(key)
        ]
        if missing:
            report_items.append(
                MigrationReportItem(
                    "error",
                    relative_path,
                    "skill frontmatter missing " + ", ".join(missing) + ".",
                )
            )
            continue
        report_items.append(
            MigrationReportItem(
                "ok",
                relative_path,
                "skill frontmatter has name and description.",
            )
        )
    return report_items


def command_report_detail(provider: str, source_name: str) -> str:
    return (
        f"Converted {provider} `{source_name}` to a single-file Codex skill; "
        "review invocation and template placeholder semantics."
    )


def command_report_item(
    name: str,
    provider: str,
    source_name: str,
) -> MigrationReportItem:
    return manual_report_item(
        CODEX_SKILLS_ROOT / name / "SKILL.md",
        command_report_detail(provider, source_name),
    )

Requirements and compatibility

Written for: OpenAI Codex

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Needs: Needs an MCP server, Needs Python

Security

What our scanner noticed· Low risk

  • Scripts that your agent may run

This skill includes scripts that your agent may run. Read them before you use it.

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Published by
OpenAI
Publisher
OpenAI (Official)
Source
openai/skills · skills/.curated/migrate-to-codex · commit 49f948f
Licence
Apache License 2.0 (redistribution allowed)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by OpenAI.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download migrate-to-codex.zip