Took over the work that @aaronl-openai started here:
https://github.com/openai/codex/pull/10397
Now that app-server clients are able to set up custom tools (called
`dynamic_tools` in app-server), we should expose a way for clients to
pass in not just text, but also image outputs. This is something the
Responses API already supports for function call outputs, where you can
pass in either a string or an array of content outputs (text, image,
file):
https://platform.openai.com/docs/api-reference/responses/create#responses_create-input-input_item_list-item-function_tool_call_output-output-array-input_image
So let's just plumb it through in Codex (with the caveat that we only
support text and image for now). This is implemented end-to-end across
app-server v2 protocol types and core tool handling.
## Breaking API change
NOTE: This introduces a breaking change with dynamic tools, but I think
it's ok since this concept was only recently introduced
(https://github.com/openai/codex/pull/9539) and it's better to get the
API contract correct. I don't think there are any real consumers of this
yet (not even the Codex App).
Old shape:
`{ "output": "dynamic-ok", "success": true }`
New shape:
```
{
"contentItems": [
{ "type": "inputText", "text": "dynamic-ok" },
{ "type": "inputImage", "imageUrl": "data:image/png;base64,AAA" }
]
"success": true
}
```
## Summary
- Stream proposed plans in Plan Mode using `<proposed_plan>` tags parsed
in core, emitting plan deltas plus a plan `ThreadItem`, while stripping
tags from normal assistant output.
- Persist plan items and rebuild them on resume so proposed plans show
in thread history.
- Wire plan items/deltas through app-server protocol v2 and render a
dedicated proposed-plan view in the TUI, including the “Implement this
plan?” prompt only when a plan item is present.
## Changes
### Core (`codex-rs/core`)
- Added a generic, line-based tag parser that buffers each line until it
can disprove a tag prefix; implements auto-close on `finish()` for
unterminated tags. `codex-rs/core/src/tagged_block_parser.rs`
- Refactored proposed plan parsing to wrap the generic parser.
`codex-rs/core/src/proposed_plan_parser.rs`
- In plan mode, stream assistant deltas as:
- **Normal text** → `AgentMessageContentDelta`
- **Plan text** → `PlanDelta` + `TurnItem::Plan` start/completion
(`codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs`)
- Final plan item content is derived from the completed assistant
message (authoritative), not necessarily the concatenated deltas.
- Strips `<proposed_plan>` blocks from assistant text in plan mode so
tags don’t appear in normal messages.
(`codex-rs/core/src/stream_events_utils.rs`)
- Persist `ItemCompleted` events only for plan items for rollout replay.
(`codex-rs/core/src/rollout/policy.rs`)
- Guard `update_plan` tool in Plan Mode with a clear error message.
(`codex-rs/core/src/tools/handlers/plan.rs`)
- Updated Plan Mode prompt to:
- keep `<proposed_plan>` out of non-final reasoning/preambles
- require exact tag formatting
- allow only one `<proposed_plan>` block per turn
(`codex-rs/core/templates/collaboration_mode/plan.md`)
### Protocol / App-server protocol
- Added `TurnItem::Plan` and `PlanDeltaEvent` to core protocol items.
(`codex-rs/protocol/src/items.rs`, `codex-rs/protocol/src/protocol.rs`)
- Added v2 `ThreadItem::Plan` and `PlanDeltaNotification` with
EXPERIMENTAL markers and note that deltas may not match the final plan
item. (`codex-rs/app-server-protocol/src/protocol/v2.rs`)
- Added plan delta route in app-server protocol common mapping.
(`codex-rs/app-server-protocol/src/protocol/common.rs`)
- Rebuild plan items from persisted `ItemCompleted` events on resume.
(`codex-rs/app-server-protocol/src/protocol/thread_history.rs`)
### App-server
- Forward plan deltas to v2 clients and map core plan items to v2 plan
items. (`codex-rs/app-server/src/bespoke_event_handling.rs`,
`codex-rs/app-server/src/codex_message_processor.rs`)
- Added v2 plan item tests.
(`codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/v2/plan_item.rs`)
### TUI
- Added a dedicated proposed plan history cell with special background
and padding, and moved “• Proposed Plan” outside the highlighted block.
(`codex-rs/tui/src/history_cell.rs`, `codex-rs/tui/src/style.rs`)
- Only show “Implement this plan?” when a plan item exists.
(`codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs`,
`codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests.rs`)
<img width="831" height="847" alt="Screenshot 2026-01-29 at 7 06 24 PM"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/69794c8c-f96b-4d36-92ef-c1f5c3a8f286"
/>
### Docs / Misc
- Updated protocol docs to mention plan deltas.
(`codex-rs/docs/protocol_v1.md`)
- Minor plumbing updates in exec/debug clients to tolerate plan deltas.
(`codex-rs/debug-client/src/reader.rs`, `codex-rs/exec/...`)
## Tests
- Added core integration tests:
- Plan mode strips plan from agent messages.
- Missing `</proposed_plan>` closes at end-of-message.
(`codex-rs/core/tests/suite/items.rs`)
- Added unit tests for generic tag parser (prefix buffering, non-tag
lines, auto-close). (`codex-rs/core/src/tagged_block_parser.rs`)
- Existing app-server plan item tests in v2.
(`codex-rs/app-server/tests/suite/v2/plan_item.rs`)
## Notes / Behavior
- Plan output no longer appears in standard assistant text in Plan Mode;
it streams via `PlanDelta` and completes as a `TurnItem::Plan`.
- The final plan item content is authoritative and may diverge from
streamed deltas (documented as experimental).
- Reasoning summaries are not filtered; prompt instructs the model not
to include `<proposed_plan>` outside the final plan message.
## Codex Author
`codex fork 019bec2d-b09d-7450-b292-d7bcdddcdbfb`
- Inline response recording during streaming: `run_turn` now records
items as they arrive instead of building a `ProcessedResponseItem` list
and post‑processing via `process_items`.
- Simplify turn handling: `handle_output_item_done` returns the
follow‑up signal + optional tool future; `needs_follow_up` is set only
there, and in‑flight tool futures are drained once at the end (errors
logged, no extra state writes).
- Flattened stream loop: removed `process_items` indirection and the
extra output queue
- - Tests: relaxed `tool_parallelism::tool_results_grouped` to allow any
completion order while still requiring matching call/output IDs.
Owen Lin