Codex Octopus MCP Server

An MCP server that wraps the OpenAI Codex SDK, letting you run multiple specialized Codex agents - each with its own model, sandbox, effort, and personality - from any MCP client. It runs locally over stdio via the published package.

People connecting this server to Claude, Cursor, VS Code, or another MCP client. The project is written in TypeScript.

VERIFIED ACTIVE

LAST COMMIT 2026-08-24 · ★ 17 · #220 OF 848 MAINTAINED OTHER · VERIFIED 2026-08-25

ISC · TypeScript servers · how we verify → /methodology

01 · Install Codex Octopus

before you install - you'll need

Set CODEX_SANDBOX_MODE, CODEX_APPROVAL_POLICY, CODEX_TOOL_NAME, CODEX_SERVER_NAME, CODEX_DESCRIPTION, CODEX_FACTORY_ONLY before connecting. CODEX_MODEL, CODEX_APPEND_INSTRUCTIONS, CODEX_EFFORT are optional or environment-specific per the README.

Claude Code

claude mcp add xiaolai-codex-octopus -- npx -y codex-octopus

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xiaolai-codex-octopus": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "codex-octopus"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Same JSON for Cursor. For VS Code, rename the top-level key from `mcpServers` to `servers`.

Using another client? Same JSON, different key

Claude Desktop · mcpServers

Cursor · mcpServers

VS Code · servers

Windsurf · mcpServers

Zed · context_servers

Cline · mcpServers

Roo Code · mcpServers

Continue · mcpServers

LibreChat · mcpServers

Gemini CLI · mcpServers

Codex CLI · mcp_servers

Full setup guides: every client.

02 · Evidence

Security posture

What to check before giving this server access to your agent - from the registry, GitHub, and our own probes. We don't score safety; we show what's verifiable.

runs as local process (stdio) - runs on your machine with your user's permissions

license ISC - declared in the repository

npm package codex-octopus - unscoped; check the name against the project README before installing

registry namespace io.github.xiaolai is GitHub-verified and matches the repo owner

03 · Who maintains Codex Octopus

codex-octopus is maintained by xiaolai. We track 2 MCP servers from xiaolai - 2 actively maintained, 34 combined GitHub stars, oldest repo from Apr 2026. Full record: all servers from xiaolai.

claude-octopus Spawn multiple specialized Claude Code agents as MCP servers, each independently configured. ★ 17

04 · Facts

repository: github.com/xiaolai/codex-octopus
category: other - ranked #220 of 848 actively-maintained other servers as of 2026-08-25.
registry: io.github.xiaolai/codex-octopus (active, first published 2026-04-02)
packages: npm:codex-octopus

05 · Codex Octopus FAQ

What is Codex Octopus?

Is Codex Octopus still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-08-25, its last commit was 2026-08-24. We re-verify nightly.

How do I install Codex Octopus?

Run `npx -y codex-octopus`. The README documents 9 environment variables (CODEX_SANDBOX_MODE, CODEX_APPROVAL_POLICY, CODEX_TOOL_NAME…) to set first. Set CODEX_SANDBOX_MODE, CODEX_APPROVAL_POLICY, CODEX_TOOL_NAME, CODEX_SERVER_NAME, CODEX_DESCRIPTION, CODEX_FACTORY_ONLY before connecting. CODEX_MODEL, CODEX_APPEND_INSTRUCTIONS, CODEX_EFFORT are optional or environment-specific per the README. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Codex Octopus run locally?

Yes - it's a stdio server: it runs on your machine (via npx) with your user's permissions. Your data stays local unless the server itself calls external APIs.

06 · Alternatives to Codex Octopus

Alternatives to Codex Octopus

Maintained other servers if Codex Octopus isn't the fit.

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