3.3 KiB
Codex
Give Codex a brain that remembers between sessions.
Codex has native MCP support through the codex mcp CLI. Add Vestige once and Codex can carry project preferences, architecture decisions, and past fixes across sessions.
Prerequisites
- Codex CLI installed and authenticated
- vestige-mcp binary installed (Installation guide)
Setup
1. Add Vestige
codex mcp add vestige -- /usr/local/bin/vestige-mcp
Use an absolute path. Run
which vestige-mcpto find the installed binary.
2. Verify
codex mcp list
You should see a vestige entry with enabled status.
3. Test it in Codex
Start Codex and ask:
"What MCP tools do you have access to?"
You should see Vestige's tools listed (search, smart_ingest, memory, and others).
First Use
In Codex:
"Remember that this project uses Rust with Axum and SQLite"
Start a new session, then ask:
"What stack does this project use?"
It remembers.
Manual Configuration
Codex stores MCP servers in ~/.codex/config.toml.
Minimal config:
[mcp_servers.vestige]
command = "/usr/local/bin/vestige-mcp"
After saving, restart Codex or start a new session.
Project-Specific Memory
Use --data-dir to isolate memory per repo or workspace:
codex mcp remove vestige
codex mcp add vestige -- /usr/local/bin/vestige-mcp --data-dir /Users/you/projects/my-app/.vestige
Equivalent manual config:
[mcp_servers.vestige]
command = "/usr/local/bin/vestige-mcp"
args = ["--data-dir", "/Users/you/projects/my-app/.vestige"]
Intelligent Memory Protocol
MCP registration makes Vestige tools available to Codex. It does not, by itself, force Codex to call those tools before answering.
For workspaces where Codex should behave like it has persistent cognitive
memory, add an AGENTS.md file at the workspace or repo root:
Before answering substantive prompts, consult Vestige using the current prompt
plus project and user context. Use `session_context` for broad context, `search`
for quick memory checks, and `deep_reference` for decisions, contradictions, or
accuracy-sensitive questions. Compose memories into actions; do not summarize
retrievals.
Then use the full protocol in
codex-intelligent-memory.md.
Troubleshooting
Vestige tools do not appear in Codex
- Verify the server is registered:
codex mcp list - Check the binary path:
which vestige-mcp - Ensure the config entry exists in
~/.codex/config.toml. - Start a fresh Codex session after adding the server.
Need to remove or re-add the server
codex mcp remove vestige
codex mcp add vestige -- /usr/local/bin/vestige-mcp
Also Works With
| IDE | Guide |
|---|---|
| Xcode 26.3 | Setup |
| Cursor | Setup |
| VS Code (Copilot) | Setup |
| JetBrains | Setup |
| Windsurf | Setup |
| Claude Code | Setup |
| Claude Desktop | Setup |
Your AI remembers everything, everywhere.