diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 23f0bab387..aa6908a1f2 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ In the codex-rs folder where the rust code lives:
   you add `include_str!`, `include_bytes!`, `sqlx::migrate!`, or similar build-time file or
   directory reads, update the crate's `BUILD.bazel` (`compile_data`, `build_script_data`, or test
   data) or Bazel may fail even when Cargo passes.
+- For build-heavy local Rust checks, prefer the equivalent Bazel target when it exists, because CI
+  already uses Bazel and the repo has remote caching configured. See `codex-rs/docs/bazel.md` for
+  daily-driver commands. Keep using Cargo when you need Cargo-specific behavior or no Bazel target
+  covers the change.
 - Do not create small helper methods that are referenced only once.
 - Avoid large modules:
   - Prefer adding new modules instead of growing existing ones.
diff --git a/codex-rs/docs/bazel.md b/codex-rs/docs/bazel.md
index a124688a24..fea224aa40 100644
--- a/codex-rs/docs/bazel.md
+++ b/codex-rs/docs/bazel.md
@@ -6,6 +6,38 @@ provides hermetic builds, toolchains, and cross-platform artifacts.
 
 As of 1/9/2026, this setup is still experimental as we stabilize it.
 
+## Local build and test commands
+
+Run Bazel commands from the repository root. Bazel is a good default for
+build-heavy local validation because CI already uses it and the repository has
+remote caching configured.
+
+Common commands:
+
+```bash
+# Build the main CLI binary.
+bazel build //codex-rs/cli:codex
+
+# Run a crate's unit tests.
+bazel test //codex-rs/tui:tui-unit-tests
+
+# Run all tests in one crate package, including integration tests.
+bazel test //codex-rs/tui:all
+
+# Run all codex-rs tests.
+bazel test //codex-rs/...
+```
+
+To discover the generated targets for a crate, query the package:
+
+```bash
+bazel query //codex-rs/tui:all
+```
+
+Cargo remains the source of truth for crates and feature definitions, so keep
+using Cargo when you are validating Cargo-specific behavior or when a crate does
+not yet have a matching Bazel target.
+
 ## High-level layout
 
 - `../MODULE.bazel` defines Bazel dependencies and Rust toolchains.