Busk: Created page with "To point the Codex CLI to your local `llama-server`, you primarily need to override the environment variables that the tool uses to locate the OpenAI API. Since the Codex..."

2026-05-22T15:57:28Z

Created page with "To point the **Codex CLI** to your local `llama-server`, you primarily need to override the environment variables that the tool uses to locate the OpenAI API. Since the Codex..."

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To point the **Codex CLI** to your local `llama-server`, you primarily need to override the environment variables that the tool uses to locate the OpenAI API.

Since the Codex CLI (and most OpenAI-compatible tools) follows standard OpenAI SDK conventions, you can redirect its traffic by pointing `OPENAI_BASE_URL` to your local endpoint.

### 1. Set the Environment Variables

You need to set these in your shell configuration (e.g., `~/.zshrc`, `~/.bashrc`) or for the specific session where you run the command.

* **`OPENAI_BASE_URL`**: Set this to your `llama-server` address, ensuring you include the `/v1` path.
* **`OPENAI_API_KEY`**: Even if your `llama-server` doesn't require authentication, the CLI usually expects this variable to exist. You can set it to any dummy string (e.g., `sk-no-key`).

**Example for your shell configuration:**

```bash
export OPENAI_BASE_URL="http://localhost:8080/v1"
export OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-not-needed"

```

*After saving this, run `source ~/.zshrc` (or your relevant shell config file) to apply the changes.*

---

### 2. Configure via `config.toml` (Optional/Permanent)

If you prefer a more permanent configuration—or if you need to use a specific model name that `llama-server` might not report by default—you can define a provider profile in the Codex CLI configuration file, typically located at `~/.codex/config.toml`.

Add a custom provider section like this:

```toml
# In ~/.codex/config.toml

[model_providers.local]
name = "Llama Server"
base_url = "http://localhost:8080/v1"
env_key = "OPENAI_API_KEY"

```

---

### 3. Verify the Connection

Once the environment variables are set, test the connection by running a simple command:

```bash
codex "What is the capital of Utah?"

```

### Important Tips for Local Models

* **Model Name:** If the CLI complains that the "model is not found," you may need to explicitly specify the model name that `llama-server` is reporting. You can check what models are available by hitting the `/v1/models` endpoint directly:
`curl http://localhost:8080/v1/models`
* **Compatibility:** Some "agentic" features of high-end CLI tools rely on OpenAI-specific function calling or vision capabilities. Depending on the model you are running in `llama.cpp` (e.g., a standard Llama 3 vs. a specialized coding model), some advanced agentic behaviors might have varying success compared to using a proprietary model like `gpt-4o`.
* **SSL/HTTPS:** Ensure your `llama-server` is running on `http` (or that you handle any certificate issues if you've enabled HTTPS), as CLI tools often fail with self-signed local certificates.

Codex use local openai api - Revision history

Busk: Created page with "To point the **Codex CLI** to your local `llama-server`, you primarily need to override the environment variables that the tool uses to locate the OpenAI API. Since the Codex..."

Busk: Created page with "To point the Codex CLI to your local `llama-server`, you primarily need to override the environment variables that the tool uses to locate the OpenAI API. Since the Codex..."