## Stack
- Base: #27184
- This PR is the second vertical and should be reviewed against
`jif/external-plugins-1`, not `main`.
## Why
CCA is moving toward a split runtime where the orchestrator may have no
filesystem or executor, but it still needs to activate remotely hosted
plugin components. HTTP MCP servers are the simplest complete example:
they need configuration and host authentication, but they do not need an
executor process.
The Apps MCP endpoint is currently synthesized by a special-purpose
loader inside the MCP runtime. That works locally, but it leaves hosted
MCP activation outside the extension model being established in #27184.
It also makes the Apps path a poor foundation for plugins whose skills,
MCP servers, connectors, and hooks may come from different sources or
execute in different places.
This PR moves that one behavior behind an extension-owned contribution
while preserving the existing local fallback. It deliberately does not
introduce a generic plugin activation framework.
## What changed
### MCP extension contribution
`codex-extension-api` gains an ordered `McpServerContributor` contract.
A contributor returns typed `Set` or `Remove` overlays for MCP server
configuration; later contributors win for the names they own.
The contract stays at the existing MCP configuration boundary.
Extensions do not create a second connection manager or transport
abstraction.
### Hosted Apps MCP extension
A new `codex-mcp-extension` contributes the reserved `codex_apps` server
from the existing Apps feature, ChatGPT base URL, path override, and
product SKU configuration.
When `apps_mcp_path_override` is enabled for `https://chatgpt.com`, the
resulting streamable HTTP endpoint is
`https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/ps/mcp`. The existing ChatGPT-auth gate
remains authoritative, so this server can run in an orchestrator-only
process without being exposed for API-key sessions.
### One resolved runtime view
`McpManager` now distinguishes three views:
- **configured:** config- and plugin-backed servers before extension
overlays;
- **runtime:** configured servers plus host-installed extension
contributions;
- **effective:** runtime servers after auth gating and compatibility
built-ins.
App-server installs the hosted MCP extension and uses the runtime view
for thread startup, refresh, status, threadless resource reads,
connector discovery, and MCP OAuth lookup. This keeps
`mcpServer/oauth/login` consistent with the servers exposed by the other
MCP APIs. The hosted Apps server itself continues to use existing
ChatGPT host authentication rather than MCP OAuth.
## Compatibility
Hosts that do not install the MCP extension retain the existing Apps MCP
synthesis path. This preserves current local-only, CLI, and
standalone-host behavior while app-server exercises the extension path.
Disabling Apps removes the reserved `codex_apps` entry, and losing
ChatGPT auth removes it from the effective runtime view. Executor
availability is not consulted for this HTTP transport.
## Follow-ups
The next vertical will resolve a manifest-declared stdio MCP server from
an executor-selected plugin root and execute it in the environment that
owns that root. Later verticals can add backend-owned skills, connector
metadata, hooks, durable selection semantics, and incremental local
convergence without changing the component-specific runtime boundaries
introduced here.
## Verification
Focused coverage was added for:
- contributing the hosted Apps MCP at `/backend-api/ps/mcp` without an
executor;
- requiring ChatGPT auth in the effective runtime view;
- removing a reserved configured Apps server when the Apps feature is
disabled.
`cargo check -p codex-app-server -p codex-mcp-extension -p
codex-extension-api -p codex-mcp` passed. Tests and Clippy were not run
locally under the current development instruction; CI provides the full
validation pass.
## Why
The `non_prefixed_mcp_tool_names` feature should be applied where MCP
tools become model-visible, not by remapping names later in core.
Keeping the decision in `McpConnectionManager` construction makes
`ToolInfo` the single shaped view that spec building, deferred tool
search, routing, and unavailable-tool placeholders can consume directly.
This also preserves the existing external behavior while the feature is
off, and keeps the feature-on behavior for code mode and hooks explicit
at the manager boundary.
## What Changed
- Add `McpToolNameMode` to `codex-mcp` and flow it through `McpConfig`
into `McpConnectionManager::new`.
- Normalize MCP `ToolInfo` names in the manager using either
legacy-prefixed namespaces or non-prefixed namespaces; the legacy path
adds `mcp__` without restoring the old trailing namespace suffix.
- Remove the core-side MCP name remapping path so specs, tool search,
session resolution, and unavailable-tool placeholder construction use
the manager-provided `ToolName` values directly.
- Keep code mode flattening on the `__` namespace separator.
- Preserve hook compatibility by giving non-prefixed MCP hook names
legacy `mcp__...` matcher aliases.
- Add/adjust integration and unit coverage for non-prefixed code-mode
behavior, hook matching with the feature on and off, and manager-level
legacy prefixing.
## Testing
- `cargo test -p codex-mcp --lib`
- `cargo test -p codex-core --lib tools::spec::tests -- --nocapture`
- `cargo test -p codex-core --lib mcp_tools -- --nocapture`
- `cargo test -p codex-core --lib mcp_tool_exposure -- --nocapture`
- `cargo test -p codex-core --test all mcp_tool -- --nocapture`
- `cargo test -p codex-core --test all search_tool -- --nocapture`
- `cargo test -p codex-core --test all hooks_mcp -- --nocapture`
- `cargo test -p codex-core --test all
code_mode_uses_non_prefixed_mcp_tool_names_when_feature_enabled --
--nocapture`
- `cargo test -p codex-tools`
- `cargo test -p codex-features`
## Summary
- route each configured MCP server through an explicit per-server
`environment_id` instead of a manager-wide remote toggle
- default omitted `environment_id` to `local`, resolve named ids through
`EnvironmentManager`, and fail only the affected MCP server when an
explicit id is unknown
- keep local stdio on the existing local launcher path for now, while
named-environment stdio uses the selected environment backend and
requires an absolute `cwd`
- allow local HTTP MCP servers to keep using the ambient HTTP client
when no local `Environment` is configured; named-environment HTTP MCPs
use that environment's HTTP client
## Validation
- devbox Bazel build: `bazel build --bes_backend= --bes_results_url=
//codex-rs/cli:codex //codex-rs/rmcp-client:test_stdio_server
//codex-rs/rmcp-client:test_streamable_http_server`
- devbox app-server config matrix with real `config.toml` /
`environments.toml` files covering omitted local, explicit local,
omitted local under remote default, explicit remote stdio, local HTTP
without local env, explicit remote HTTP, local stdio without local env,
unknown explicit env, and remote stdio without `cwd`
Adding the id of the plugin that contains the MCP (if any) so we can
apply filters at plugin level.
## Summary
- carry the plugin owner into MCP runtime provenance
- attach `plugin_id` to outbound plugin-backed MCP tool-call `_meta`
- avoid misattributing user-configured MCP servers that shadow plugin
server names
## Testing
- `just fmt`
- `just fix -p codex-mcp`
- `just fix -p codex-core`
- `cargo test -p codex-mcp`
- `cargo test -p codex-core
plugin_mcp_tool_call_request_meta_includes_plugin_id`
- `cargo test -p codex-core
to_mcp_config_omits_plugin_id_when_user_server_shadows_plugin_mcp`
- `cargo test -p codex-core
rebuild_preserving_session_layers_refreshes_plugin_derived_mcp_config`
- `git diff --check`
## Notes
- Attempted `cargo test -p codex-core`; it aborted in
`agent::control::tests::resume_agent_from_rollout_skips_descendants_when_parent_resume_fails`
with a stack overflow before the full suite completed.
This adds `apps_mcp_product_sku` as a toplevel config.toml key. We pass
the given value as a header when listing MCPs for the client, allowing
connectors to be filtered per product entry point.
---------
Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>
## Why
Some MCP OAuth providers require a pre-registered public client ID and
cannot rely on dynamic client registration. Codex already supports MCP
OAuth, but it had no way to supply that client ID from config into the
PKCE flow.
## What changed
- add `oauth.client_id` under `[mcp_servers.<server>]` config, including
config editing and schema generation
- thread the configured client ID through CLI, app-server, plugin login,
and MCP skill dependency OAuth entrypoints
- configure RMCP authorization with the explicit client when present,
while preserving the existing dynamic-registration path when it is
absent
- add focused coverage for config parsing/serialization and OAuth URL
generation
## Verification
- `cargo test -p codex-config -p codex-rmcp-client -p codex-mcp -p
codex-core-plugins`
- `cargo test -p codex-core blocking_replace_mcp_servers_round_trips
--lib`
- `cargo test -p codex-core
replace_mcp_servers_streamable_http_serializes_oauth_resource --lib`
- `cargo test -p codex-core config_schema_matches_fixture --lib`
## Notes
Broader local package runs still hit unrelated pre-existing stack
overflows in:
- `codex-app-server::in_process_start_clamps_zero_channel_capacity`
-
`codex-core::resume_agent_from_rollout_uses_edge_data_when_descendant_metadata_source_is_stale`
## Why
We've added support for auth elicitation behind the auth_elicitation
flag, but servers need to explicitly check the capability before it
decides to send elicitations in order to be backward compatible. This PR
adds the capability advertising conditioned on the flag.
## What changed
- Build `client_elicitation_capability` from the `AuthElicitation`
feature state.
- Thread that capability through MCP config, session startup, and
`McpConnectionManager` so RMCP initialization advertises the correct
elicitation support.
- Advertise both `form` and `url` elicitation when the feature is
enabled, and preserve the empty default capability when it is disabled.
- Add coverage for the feature-derived config shape and the advertised
initialization payload.
## Testing
- `cargo test -p codex-mcp`
- `cargo test -p codex-core
to_mcp_config_preserves_auth_elicitation_feature_from_config`
- `cargo test -p codex-core` *(currently fails outside this change in
`tools::handlers::multi_agents::tests::tool_handlers_cascade_close_and_resume_and_keep_explicitly_closed_subtrees_closed`
with a stack overflow after unrelated tests have started running)*
## DISCLAIMER
This is experimental and no production service must rely on this
## Why
Built-in MCPs are product-owned runtime capabilities, but they were
previously flattened into the same config-backed stdio path as
user-configured servers. That made them depend on a hidden `codex
builtin-mcp` re-exec path, exposed them through config-oriented CLI
flows, and erased distinctions the runtime needs to preserve—most
notably whether an MCP call should count as external context for
memory-mode pollution.
## What changed
- Model product-owned built-ins separately from config-backed MCP
servers via `BuiltinMcpServer` and `EffectiveMcpServer`.
- Launch built-ins in process through a reusable async transport instead
of the hidden `builtin-mcp` stdio subcommand.
- Keep config-oriented CLI operations such as `codex mcp
list/get/login/logout` scoped to configured servers, while merging
built-ins only into the effective runtime server set.
- Retain server metadata after launch so parallel-tool support and
context classification come from the live server set; built-in
`memories` is now classified as local Codex state rather than external
context.
## Test plan
- `cargo test -p codex-mcp`
- `cargo test -p codex-core --test suite
builtin_memories_mcp_call_does_not_mark_thread_memory_mode_polluted_when_configured`
---------
Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>
## Summary
- Treat `approval_mode = "approve"` as skip-review across all permission
modes.
- Remove the mode-specific split in the MCP auto-approval gate so
approved tools bypass review consistently.
- Expand regression coverage in the shared MCP helper and the core
tool-call flow.
## Testing
- `just fmt`
- `cargo test -p codex-mcp`
- `cargo test -p codex-core
approve_mode_skips_arc_and_guardian_in_every_permission_mode`
- `git diff --check`
- Full `cargo test -p codex-core` was also attempted, but the suite hit
an unrelated pre-existing stack overflow in an existing multi-agent test
## Why
When an MCP or app tool is configured with approval mode `approve`
(always allow), users expect that decision to be authoritative. In
guardian auto-review mode, ARC could still return `ask-user`, which then
routed the approval question into guardian with the ARC reason as
context. That meant a tool explicitly configured as always allowed still
went through both safety monitors before running.
This change keeps the existing ARC behavior for non-auto-review
sessions, but avoids the ARC-to-guardian sequence when
`approvals_reviewer = auto_review` and the tool approval mode is
`approve`.
## What changed
- Short-circuit MCP tool approval handling when `approval_mode ==
approve` and `approvals_reviewer == auto_review`.
- Updated the MCP approval regression test so the auto-review case
asserts neither ARC nor guardian is called.
- Preserved existing tests that verify ARC can still block always-allow
MCP tools outside guardian auto-review mode.
## Verification
- `cargo test -p codex-core --lib mcp_tool_call`
Summary
- Add `[features.apps_mcp_path_override]` config with a `path` field for
overriding only the built-in apps MCP path.
- Keep existing host/base URL derivation unchanged and append the
configured path after that base.
- Regenerate the config schema with the custom feature-config case.
Test Plan
- Not run for latest revision; only `just fmt` and `just
write-config-schema` were run.
- Earlier revision: `cargo test -p codex-features`
- Earlier revision: `cargo test -p codex-mcp`
## Why
After #19391, `PermissionProfile` and the split filesystem/network
policies could still be stored in parallel. That creates drift risk: a
profile can preserve deny globs, external enforcement, or split
filesystem entries while a cached projection silently loses those
details. This PR makes the profile the runtime source and derives
compatibility views from it.
## What Changed
- Removes stored filesystem/network sandbox projections from
`Permissions` and `SessionConfiguration`; their accessors now derive
from the canonical `PermissionProfile`.
- Derives legacy `SandboxPolicy` snapshots from profiles only where an
older API still needs that field.
- Updates MCP connection and elicitation state to track
`PermissionProfile` instead of `SandboxPolicy` for auto-approval
decisions.
- Adds semantic filesystem-policy comparison so cwd changes can preserve
richer profiles while still recognizing equivalent legacy projections
independent of entry ordering.
- Updates config/session tests to assert profile-derived projections
instead of parallel stored fields.
## Verification
- `cargo test -p codex-core direct_write_roots`
- `cargo test -p codex-core runtime_roots_to_legacy_projection`
- `cargo test -p codex-app-server
requested_permissions_trust_project_uses_permission_profile_intent`
---
[//]: # (BEGIN SAPLING FOOTER)
Stack created with [Sapling](https://sapling-scm.com). Best reviewed
with [ReviewStack](https://reviewstack.dev/openai/codex/pull/19392).
* #19395
* #19394
* #19393
* __->__ #19392
## Why
`codex-mcp` currently exposes more API than the rest of the workspace
uses. Some of that surface is simply visibility that can be tightened,
and some of it is public helper code that remains compiler-valid because
it is exported even though no workspace caller uses it.
That distinction matters: Rust does not warn on exported API just
because the current workspace does not call it. This PR intentionally
treats those exported-but-workspace-unreferenced paths as stale
`codex-mcp` surface. The main example is MCP skill dependency
collection, where the active implementation now lives in
`codex-rs/core/src/mcp_skill_dependencies.rs`; keeping the older
`codex-mcp` copy makes it unclear which implementation owns skill MCP
installation.
## What Changed
- Pruned unused `codex-mcp` re-exports from `codex-mcp/src/lib.rs`.
- Removed non-runtime helper methods from `McpConnectionManager` so it
stays focused on live MCP clients.
- Made `ToolPluginProvenance` lookup methods crate-private.
- Removed workspace-unreferenced snapshot wrapper APIs and
qualified-tool grouping helpers.
- Deleted the duplicate `codex-mcp` skill dependency module and tests
now that skill MCP dependency handling is owned by `core`.
## Verification
- `cargo check -p codex-mcp`
## Summary
- Add an MCP server environment setting with local as the default.
- Thread the default through config serialization, schema generation,
and existing config fixtures.
## Stack
```text
o #18027 [8/8] Fail exec client operations after disconnect
│
o #18025 [7/8] Cover MCP stdio tests with executor placement
│
o #18089 [6/8] Wire remote MCP stdio through executor
│
o #18088 [5/8] Add executor process transport for MCP stdio
│
o #18087 [4/8] Abstract MCP stdio server launching
│
o #18020 [3/8] Add pushed exec process events
│
o #18086 [2/8] Support piped stdin in exec process API
│
@ #18085 [1/8] Add MCP server environment config
│
o main
```
Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>
## Why
For more advanced MCP usage, we want the model to be able to emit
parallel MCP tool calls and have Codex execute eligible ones
concurrently, instead of forcing all MCP calls through the serial block.
The main design choice was where to thread the config. I made this
server-level because parallel safety depends on the MCP server
implementation. Codex reads the flag from `mcp_servers`, threads the
opted-in server names into `ToolRouter`, and checks the parsed
`ToolPayload::Mcp { server, .. }` at execution time. That avoids relying
on model-visible tool names, which can be incomplete in
deferred/search-tool paths or ambiguous for similarly named
servers/tools.
## What was added
Added `supports_parallel_tool_calls` for MCP servers.
Before:
```toml
[mcp_servers.docs]
command = "docs-server"
```
After:
```toml
[mcp_servers.docs]
command = "docs-server"
supports_parallel_tool_calls = true
```
MCP calls remain serial by default. Only tools from opted-in servers are
eligible to run in parallel. Docs also now warn to enable this only when
the server’s tools are safe to run concurrently, especially around
shared state or read/write races.
## Testing
Tested with a local stdio MCP server exposing real delay tools. The
model/Responses side was mocked only to deterministically emit two MCP
calls in the same turn.
Each test called `query_with_delay` and `query_with_delay_2` with `{
"seconds": 25 }`.
| Build/config | Observed | Wall time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| main with flag enabled | serial | `58.79s` |
| PR with flag enabled | parallel | `31.73s` |
| PR without flag | serial | `56.70s` |
PR with flag enabled showed both tools start before either completed;
main and PR-without-flag completed the first delay before starting the
second.
Also added an integration test.
Additional checks:
- `cargo test -p codex-tools` passed
- `cargo test -p codex-core
mcp_parallel_support_uses_exact_payload_server` passed
- `git diff --check` passed
- Split MCP runtime/server code out of `codex-core` into the new
`codex-mcp` crate. New/moved public structs/types include `McpConfig`,
`McpConnectionManager`, `ToolInfo`, `ToolPluginProvenance`,
`CodexAppsToolsCacheKey`, and the `McpManager` API
(`codex_mcp::mcp::McpManager` plus the `codex_core::mcp::McpManager`
wrapper/shim). New/moved functions include `with_codex_apps_mcp`,
`configured_mcp_servers`, `effective_mcp_servers`,
`collect_mcp_snapshot`, `collect_mcp_snapshot_from_manager`,
`qualified_mcp_tool_name_prefix`, and the MCP auth/skill-dependency
helpers. Why: this creates a focused MCP crate boundary and shrinks
`codex-core` without forcing every consumer to migrate in the same PR.
- Move MCP server config schema and persistence into `codex-config`.
New/moved structs/enums include `AppToolApproval`,
`McpServerToolConfig`, `McpServerConfig`, `RawMcpServerConfig`,
`McpServerTransportConfig`, `McpServerDisabledReason`, and
`codex_config::ConfigEditsBuilder`. New/moved functions include
`load_global_mcp_servers` and
`ConfigEditsBuilder::replace_mcp_servers`/`apply`. Why: MCP TOML
parsing/editing is config ownership, and this keeps config
validation/round-tripping (including per-tool approval overrides and
inline bearer-token rejection) in the config crate instead of
`codex-core`.
- Rewire `codex-core`, app-server, and plugin call sites onto the new
crates. Updated `Config::to_mcp_config(&self, plugins_manager)`,
`codex-rs/core/src/mcp.rs`, `codex-rs/core/src/connectors.rs`,
`codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs`,
`CodexMessageProcessor::list_mcp_server_status_task`, and
`utils/plugins/src/mcp_connector.rs` to build/pass the new MCP
config/runtime types. Why: plugin-provided MCP servers still merge with
user-configured servers, and runtime auth (`CodexAuth`) is threaded into
`with_codex_apps_mcp` / `collect_mcp_snapshot` explicitly so `McpConfig`
stays config-only.
jif