Level 1: Repository Reader — Investigate the Code
About 5 minutes
Target audience: Readers who want Codex to investigate a repository before making changes
Prerequisites: Read Level 0
Level 1 lets Codex read the repository and explain its structure or behavior. Separating investigation from editing reduces incorrect change targets.
What Level 1 Means
Section titled “What Level 1 Means”Codex reads the working tree and organizes related files, major functions, tests, and possible causes. Editing is not required at this stage.
Investigate authentication in this repository.
List related files, entry points, and tests in a table. Do not edit anything yet.Completion Standard
Section titled “Completion Standard”- The response includes real file paths
- Explanations cite functions or configuration in the code
- Facts and inferences are distinguished
- Relevant tests are identified
Next Level
Section titled “Next Level”After defining scope, move to Level 2: Focused Editor — Make a Bounded Edit.
See the references for the external specifications and background sources used on this page.[1][2]
References
Section titled “References”- OpenAI, Codex documentation
- OpenAI, OpenAI API documentation
Quiz