Top 10 Codex Skills in 2026 (Tested With Real Use Cases)

TLDR; Best Codex Skills

What is a skill, explained simply?

A skill is just a text file on your computer with instructions for Codex to follow. Without skills, every Codex chat starts from scratch. One chat can only hold so much context at once, so Codex doesn't always remember what you did in the last one.

Instead of pasting the same prompt over and over, the instructions live in a file on your computer, so Codex can do the task exactly how you want, no matter which chat you're in.

And because it's quite literally a plain text file, you can read exactly what a skill will do before you trust it. It's also easy to edit and share with teammates.

Related: Best Codex Plugins

How to install Codex skills

For official OpenAI skills:

$skill-installer <skill-name>

For OpenAI experimental skills:

$skill-installer install https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.experimental/<skill-name>

For community skills, the easiest way is to do a manual install in the local Codex skill folder:

mkdir -p ~/.agents/skills
git clone <repo-url> ~/.agents/skills/<skill-name>

For Composio skills, there’s also an installer script:

git clone https://github.com/ComposioHQ/awesome-codex-skills.git
cd awesome-codex-skills/awesome-codex-skills
python skill-installer/scripts/install-skill-from-github.py --repo ComposioHQ/awesome-codex-skills --path <skill-name>

💡 NOTE: Codex usually detects newly installed skills automatically, but if it doesn’t show up, restart.

What are the best Codex skills? (with real use cases)

1. remotion

What it does: automatically edits and generates video graphics directly in Codex. It's open-source, so it's completely free (no Adobe Premiere or Motion required).

How to install:

1. Open Codex.

2. In the chat, tell Codex to install the Remotion skill. Paste this in:

npx skills add remotion-dev/skills

1. You may be asked to install Node.js or other software. Don't worry, this is totally normal. If you're ever unsure whether something was installed correctly, just ask Codex to check it or reinstall it.

2. Restart Codex (close it, then reopen it).

3. If you want to confirm it's installed, paste this in the same chat:

Please check if the Remotion skill is installed.

How to use:

1. In your new chat, type /remotion and tell it what you'd like to animate. You can attach any files you need (like logos or brand assets) using the @ symbol.

   

   
   

2. Your animation will either open in the browser or appear as a blue link. Click it and your animation opens on the side.

   

   
   

3. Use the chat to make changes (e.g. "add a fade-in glow behind the icons"). You can keep editing in the chat, or click "Expand Panel" to overlay the chat right on top of the video editor.

   

remotion examples & prompts:

• Motion graphics for YouTube videos and intros. Describe the animation you want and Remotion builds it in code, so you get a polished intro or lower-third without opening a video editor like After Effects.

• Adding auto-captions to videos. It times the captions to the audio for you, which is far easier than manually adding them, and often simpler than using paid tools like Descript.

  

2. frontend-design

What it does: creates digital designs, especially websites, that avoid the AI-slop look. It's one of the most downloaded design skills, and it deliberately steers clear of the layouts, fonts, and colour schemes AI tends to overuse. We got this one from Vercel's free skill library, and it works directly in Codex.

How to install:

1. Open Codex.

2. In the chat, tell Codex to install the frontend-design skill. Paste this in:

npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-skills --skill frontend-design

1. Restart Codex (close it, then reopen it).

2. If you want to confirm it's installed, paste this in the same chat:

Please check if the frontend-design skill is installed.

How to use:

1. In your chat, type /frontend-design and describe the design you want, including the colors, fonts, and styles you'd like.

   

   
   

2. Codex will generate a website for you, which you can keep iterating in chat.

   

   
   

3. When you're happy with it, open the generated project to keep editing the files yourself, or publish it (for example, deploy it to Vercel or Netlify).

frontend-design examples & prompts:

• Landing page design. Tell Codex what your landing page is about, include examples in your prompt, and provide styling guidance so it comes back with a polished design rather than the usual generic AI layout.

• Portfolio page with interactive elements. Ask to add interactive pieces to a portfolio, and it built one with motion and clickable parts that feel custom rather than templated.

  

3. composio-connect

What it does: connects Codex to apps like Gmail, Slack, Jira, and GitHub, plus 1,000+ more it can't reach on its own, using the free Composio platform. That lets you take real actions on those apps right inside Codex, like sending an email, updating a Notion doc, or summarising your meeting notes.

How to install:

1. Open Codex.

2. In the chat, ask Codex to install the Connect skill from Composio. Paste this in:

git clone <https://github.com/ComposioHQ/awesome-codex-skills.git>
cd awesome-codex-skills
python skill-installer/scripts/install-skill-from-github.py --repo ComposioHQ/awesome-codex-skills --path connect

1. Restart Codex (close it, then reopen it).

2. If you want to confirm it's installed, paste this in the same chat:

Please check if the composio-connect skill is installed.

How to use:

1. In your chat, type /connect and ask Codex to connect to the apps you want.

   

   
   

2. Codex will prompt you to sign in or create a free account on Composio. Click the login link and follow the instructions until you reach the confirmation page.

   

   
   

3. Go back to Codex and make sure you connect to each app (Codex will provide the links).

   

composio-connect examples & prompts:

• Creating multi-app workflows and automations. Connect once, and Codex can move between your tools in a single task, like pulling data from one app and posting it into another directly in Codex

• Connecting to apps Codex can't do on its own. It opens up tools like Instagram, Reddit, and ElevenLabs that Codex can't use natively.

  

5. grill-me

What it does: makes Codex interview you about your plan before it writes anything, asking one question at a time and suggesting an answer for each so the session keeps moving. Built by educator Matt Pocock, it is one of the most installed Codex skills of all time. It first went viral for fixing the most common failure in AI coding, when the agent runs off in the wrong direction.

How to install:

1. Open Codex.

2. In the chat, tell Codex to install the grill-me skill. Paste this in:

npx skills add mattpocock/skills --skill grill-me

1. Restart Codex (close it and open it again).

2. If you want to confirm it's installed, paste this in the same chat:

Please check if the grill-me skill is installed.

How to use:

1. In a new chat, write what you want to plan and paste it in. Even a rough idea works. Tip: it doesn’t have to be related to code. It could be writing an article or even making a decision.

   

   
   

2. Answer its questions one at a time. Codex will start asking you questions in chat, sometimes giving you a recommended answer for each.

   

   
   

3. After answering enough questions, tell Codex you're done. Codex will either perform your task in chat or create a .md file of a detailed plan. Most importantly: you decide when to stop, since it keeps asking otherwise.

   

grill-me examples & prompts:

• Building a new app/web feature. grill-me will be prepared to ask questions you didn’t think of, like what to do if customers don’t pay or whether to require a credit card in the free trial.

• Writing articles. If you have a topic you want to write about, but not sure where to start or what structure to follow, grill-me will ask you questions. It will also help with inserting personal anecdotes.

  

6. handoff

What it does: turns your current Codex chat into a document, so you can open a new session without losing your place. The handoff skill was made by Matt Pocock shortly after grill-me, and it captures the decisions you made and the tasks still left to do, so you can hand the work to a fresh chat or a different model without hitting limits.

How to install:

1. Open Codex.

2. In the chat, tell Codex to install the handoff skill. Paste this in:

npx skills add mattpocock/skills --skill handoff

1. Restart Codex (close it and open it again).

2. If you want to confirm it's installed, paste this in the same chat:

Please check if the handoff skill is installed.

How to use:

1. In your current chat, type /handoff or ask Codex to create a handoff document of everything you’ve just discussed.

   

   
   

2. the handoff skill will only take the most important and relevant parts of the discussion and turn them into a .md file on your computer.

   

   
   

3. Once you’re in a new session, attach that file and ask Codex to continue where you left off.

   

handoff examples & prompts:

• Multi-tasking. When one chat gets blocked waiting on something else, hand that part to a new chat so both can keep moving. You make progress on two pieces of the same project at once instead of waiting on one.

• Switching models. When one model gets stuck or you run low on usage, hand the work to a different model to break the loop and keep going.

  

7. excalidraw

What it does: turns a prompt into an Excalidraw diagram, which is one of the most popular tools to create flowcharts, architecture diagrams, or a simple visuals) right inside Codex. It's a quick way to sketch out an idea or a system without designing it by hand.

How to install:

1. Open Codex.

2. In the chat, tell Codex to install the excalidraw skill. Paste this in:

python3 ~/.codex/skills/.system/skill-installer/scripts/install-skill-from-github.py --repo coleam00/excalidraw-diagram-skill --path . --name excalidraw

1. Restart Codex (close it and open it again).

2. If you want to confirm it's installed, paste this in the same chat:

Please check if the excalidraw skill is installed.

How to use:

1. In your chat, type /excalidraw and describe the diagram you want.

   

   
   

2. Codex generates the Excalidraw diagram, which you can keep refining in the chat.

   

   
   

3. Once you're done, you can export the diagram in your desired format.

excalidraw examples & prompts:

• Visualize research. Ask Codex to do research on a topic and create a diagram to help you understand it.

• Presentations. Use the diagram to create a few mockup ideas of a diagram you want to add to slideshow presentation. You can even ask Codex to "polish" the diagram to make it match the theme of your slideshow.

  

8. frontend-slides

What it does: turns a document or rough notes into a slide deck, right inside Codex. It was originally made for Claude, but it works straight in Codex too. It's a quick way to get a presentation started without fiddling around in slides software.

How to install:

1. Open Codex.

2. In the chat, tell Codex to install the frontend-slides skill. Paste this in:

Please install this skill: <https://github.com/zarazhangrui/frontend-slides>

1. Restart Codex (close it, then reopen it).

2. If you want to confirm it's installed, paste this in the same chat:

Please check if the frontend-slides skill is installed.

How to use:

1. In your chat, type /frontend-slides and attach a document or describe the slides you want.

   

1. Codex builds the deck, which you can keep editing in the chat.

   

1. When you're done, you can export it as a .pptx, PDF, or any desired file format.

frontend-slides examples & prompts:

• Create a slideshow from a document or rough notes. Attach a word doc or add some rough notes in chat, and it will create a slideshow that’s ready to present to others.

• Fix an existing slideshow. If you already have a slideshow with rough notes or you want to take an existing slideshow template and polish it up.

  

9. nano-banana-2 (image generation)

What it does: gives Codex access to Google's Nano Banana 2, a fast image model that's great for quick drafts and ideation. Codex already excels at batching content quickly, but using Nano Banana 2 enables better rendering of social thumbnails, rapid concept drafts, and graphics.

How to install:

1. Install the Gemini CLI. Paste this into Codex:

npm install -g @google/gemini-cli

1. Install the nano-banana extension. Paste this into Codex:

gemini extensions install <https://github.com/gemini-cli-extensions/nanobanana>

1. You will be asked to add your Gemini API key. To get an API key, go to Google AI Studio and create one for free. Note: you will need credits on your account to generate images.

   

   
   

2. Once you have your API key, open the terminal app on your computer and paste the following:

gemini extensions config nanobanana

1. Your terminal will ask for your Gemini API key. Paste it in.

   

1. Go back to Codex to install the skill. Paste this into Codex:

git clone <https://github.com/kkoppenhaver/cc-nano-banana> ~/.codex/skills/nano-banana

1. Restart Codex (close it, then reopen it).

2. To confirm it's installed, ask in a new chat:

Please check if the nano-banana-2 skill is installed.

How to use:

1. Type /nano-banana-2 and describe the image you’d like. Add any specifics: aspect ratio, text to include, brand colours, or a reference image to match.

2. Codex generates the image, saves it, and hands you the file.

3. Continue refining in the chat until you get your ideal result, then export in your desired format.

nano-banana-2 examples & prompts:

• Brainstorm multiple thumbnails or ideas quickly. Gemini performs well with realistic photo generation, so the skill can be used to create multiple thumbnails for YouTube, LinkedIn, and more.

• Put your product in a professional setting. Give it a product photo and ask for a clean studio background or a polished 4:5 hero shot for your store or ads.

  

10. Record & Replay

What it does: lets you teach Codex a repetitive task by doing it once while it watches. Instead of writing a long prompt, you perform the task, Codex records your steps, and it turns them into a reusable skill you can run again later. It captures what you're trying to do at each step, so it will still work even if the screen looks a little different next time.

How to install: nothing to install. Record & Replay is built into the Codex app via the Plugins panel.

How to use:

1. In the Codex app, open the Plugins panel and choose "Record a skill."

   

   
   

2. Give Codex permission to watch your screen and actions when it asks. On Mac, you will have to enable Codex permissions for your screen in the “Screen & System Audio Recording” section of System Settings. Codex will be able to track your mouse clicks, the text you type, and the windows you interact with for the next 30 minutes.

   

1. Codex will automatically open up a new chat with the “Record & Replay” skill installed. Do the task once, start to finish, the way you normally would.

   

   
   

2. Stop the recording by typing "done" in chat. Codex reviews

   Take the actions you took on your computer and draft a SKILL.md for it.

   

   
   

3. Next time, prompt the new skill, and Codex will repeat the whole workflow, even with new information.

Record & Replay examples & prompts:

• Automate tasks. Show it how you perform a routine action (e.g. setting up a new account or placing an online order), and it can handle the next batch without you writing out the steps again.

• Repetitive reporting. Record yourself pulling numbers from a dashboard into a spreadsheet once, and Codex can run that same report every week with fresh data.

  

Conclusion

Don’t try to install all of them at once. You probably won’t need all of them anyway.

Start with the ones that already fit at your workplace and expand from there. These are just some of my personal favourites.

Most of these skills come from OpenAI’s own skill catalogue for Codex and the awesome-codex-skills repo. Go take a look; you might find a few better ones that fit your workflow even more.