Write apikey-mode auth.json so Codex CLI 0.122+ can authenticate via OPENAI_API_KEY (#5276)

## Thinking Path

> - Paperclip orchestrates AI agents for zero-human companies
> - The Codex adapter spawns the OpenAI Codex CLI to drive the model
> - Codex CLI 0.122 changed how it reads credentials: it ignores
`OPENAI_API_KEY` from the environment and reads only
`$CODEX_HOME/auth.json`
> - Without auth.json, Codex 0.122+ returns 401 "Missing bearer or basic
authentication" on `/v1/responses` even when `OPENAI_API_KEY` is
forwarded into the sandbox or remote shell
> - This pull request materializes an apikey-mode `auth.json` in the
managed Codex home (or per-run for the test probe) when an
`OPENAI_API_KEY` is configured
> - The benefit is configured Codex API keys authenticate correctly with
current Codex CLI versions across local, SSH, and sandbox targets

## What Changed

- `codex-home.ts`: add `writeApiKeyAuthJson()` and let
`prepareManagedCodexHome` accept an `apiKey` override that replaces the
symlinked host auth.json with an apikey-mode file
- `execute.ts`: pass `envConfig.OPENAI_API_KEY` into
`prepareManagedCodexHome` so the managed (and synced-to-remote) Codex
home authenticates via the configured key
- `test.ts`: when `OPENAI_API_KEY` is available, wrap the hello probe
with a small shell that materializes a per-run `$CODEX_HOME/auth.json`
before exec'ing codex; key content rides through env to avoid leaking
into process listings
- Update the `codex_hello_probe_auth_required` hint to explain Codex CLI
does not read `OPENAI_API_KEY` from env

## Verification

- `pnpm vitest run --no-coverage --project
@paperclipai/adapter-codex-local`
- `pnpm typecheck` clean
- Manual: Codex 0.122.0 with empty `CODEX_HOME` returns 401 with
env-only auth; with this change it authenticates cleanly

## Risks

Low risk — when no API key is configured, behavior is unchanged (no
auth.json written, existing chatgpt-mode flow preserved). Apikey-mode
`auth.json` is the upstream-supported format.

## Model Used

Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context)

## Checklist

- [x] I have included a thinking path that traces from project context
to this change
- [x] I have specified the model used (with version and capability
details)
- [x] I have checked ROADMAP.md and confirmed this PR does not duplicate
planned core work
- [x] I have run tests locally and they pass
- [x] I have added or updated tests where applicable
- [x] If this change affects the UI, I have included before/after
screenshots — N/A (no UI)
- [x] I have updated relevant documentation to reflect my changes
- [x] I have considered and documented any risks above
- [x] I will address all Greptile and reviewer comments before
requesting merge
This commit is contained in:
Devin Foley
2026-05-05 08:00:27 -07:00
committed by GitHub
parent 44c365dea3
commit 9042b8d042
3 changed files with 98 additions and 18 deletions
@@ -71,33 +71,71 @@ async function ensureCopiedFile(target: string, source: string): Promise<void> {
await fs.copyFile(source, target);
}
/**
* Writes an `auth.json` containing only `OPENAI_API_KEY` so the codex CLI can
* authenticate via API key. Overwrites any existing file or symlink at that
* path. Required because the codex CLI (>= 0.122) ignores the `OPENAI_API_KEY`
* environment variable and only reads credentials from `$CODEX_HOME/auth.json`.
*/
export async function writeApiKeyAuthJson(home: string, apiKey: string): Promise<void> {
await fs.mkdir(home, { recursive: true });
const target = path.join(home, "auth.json");
await fs.rm(target, { force: true });
await fs.writeFile(target, JSON.stringify({ OPENAI_API_KEY: apiKey }), { mode: 0o600 });
}
export async function prepareManagedCodexHome(
env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv,
onLog: AdapterExecutionContext["onLog"],
companyId?: string,
options: { apiKey?: string | null } = {},
): Promise<string> {
const targetHome = resolveManagedCodexHomeDir(env, companyId);
const apiKey = nonEmpty(options.apiKey ?? undefined);
const sourceHome = resolveSharedCodexHomeDir(env);
if (path.resolve(sourceHome) === path.resolve(targetHome)) return targetHome;
const seedFromShared = path.resolve(sourceHome) !== path.resolve(targetHome);
await fs.mkdir(targetHome, { recursive: true });
for (const name of SYMLINKED_SHARED_FILES) {
const source = path.join(sourceHome, name);
if (!(await pathExists(source))) continue;
await ensureSymlink(path.join(targetHome, name), source);
// If a previous run wrote an apikey-mode auth.json (regular file) and this
// run has no apiKey, remove it so the chatgpt-mode symlink can be restored.
// Without this cleanup, ensureSymlink bails on a non-symlink and Codex keeps
// authenticating with the stale key after it is removed from configuration.
if (!apiKey && seedFromShared) {
const authPath = path.join(targetHome, "auth.json");
const existing = await fs.lstat(authPath).catch(() => null);
if (existing && !existing.isSymbolicLink()) {
await fs.rm(authPath, { force: true });
}
}
for (const name of COPIED_SHARED_FILES) {
const source = path.join(sourceHome, name);
if (!(await pathExists(source))) continue;
await ensureCopiedFile(path.join(targetHome, name), source);
if (seedFromShared) {
for (const name of SYMLINKED_SHARED_FILES) {
const source = path.join(sourceHome, name);
if (!(await pathExists(source))) continue;
await ensureSymlink(path.join(targetHome, name), source);
}
for (const name of COPIED_SHARED_FILES) {
const source = path.join(sourceHome, name);
if (!(await pathExists(source))) continue;
await ensureCopiedFile(path.join(targetHome, name), source);
}
await onLog(
"stdout",
`[paperclip] Using ${isWorktreeMode(env) ? "worktree-isolated" : "Paperclip-managed"} Codex home "${targetHome}" (seeded from "${sourceHome}").\n`,
);
}
if (apiKey) {
await writeApiKeyAuthJson(targetHome, apiKey);
await onLog(
"stdout",
`[paperclip] Wrote API-key auth.json into Codex home "${targetHome}" from configured OPENAI_API_KEY.\n`,
);
}
await onLog(
"stdout",
`[paperclip] Using ${isWorktreeMode(env) ? "worktree-isolated" : "Paperclip-managed"} Codex home "${targetHome}" (seeded from "${sourceHome}").\n`,
);
return targetHome;
}
@@ -332,8 +332,16 @@ export async function execute(ctx: AdapterExecutionContext): Promise<AdapterExec
const codexSkillEntries = await readPaperclipRuntimeSkillEntries(config, __moduleDir);
const desiredSkillNames = resolveCodexDesiredSkillNames(config, codexSkillEntries);
await ensureAbsoluteDirectory(cwd, { createIfMissing: true });
const configuredOpenAiApiKey =
typeof envConfig.OPENAI_API_KEY === "string" && envConfig.OPENAI_API_KEY.trim().length > 0
? envConfig.OPENAI_API_KEY.trim()
: null;
const preparedManagedCodexHome =
configuredCodexHome ? null : await prepareManagedCodexHome(process.env, onLog, agent.companyId);
configuredCodexHome
? null
: await prepareManagedCodexHome(process.env, onLog, agent.companyId, {
apiKey: configuredOpenAiApiKey,
});
const defaultCodexHome = resolveManagedCodexHomeDir(process.env, agent.companyId);
const effectiveCodexHome = configuredCodexHome ?? preparedManagedCodexHome ?? defaultCodexHome;
await fs.mkdir(effectiveCodexHome, { recursive: true });
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
resolveAdapterExecutionTargetCwd,
} from "@paperclipai/adapter-utils/execution-target";
import path from "node:path";
import os from "node:os";
import { parseCodexJsonl } from "./parse.js";
import { codexHomeDir, readCodexAuthInfo } from "./quota.js";
import { buildCodexExecArgs } from "./codex-args.js";
@@ -174,14 +175,45 @@ export async function testEnvironment(
});
}
// Codex CLI (>= 0.122) ignores the OPENAI_API_KEY env var and only reads
// credentials from $CODEX_HOME/auth.json. When we have a key available,
// wrap the probe with a shell that materializes a per-run auth.json so
// the CLI can authenticate. The key content is passed via env (not on
// the command line) to avoid leaking it into process listings.
const probeApiKey = isNonEmpty(configOpenAiKey)
? configOpenAiKey
: isNonEmpty(hostOpenAiKey)
? hostOpenAiKey
: null;
let probeCommand = command;
let probeArgs = args;
const probeEnv: Record<string, string> = { ...env };
if (probeApiKey) {
const probeHome = targetIsRemote
? `/tmp/paperclip-codex-probe-${runId}`
: path.join(os.tmpdir(), `paperclip-codex-probe-${runId}`);
probeEnv.CODEX_HOME = probeHome;
probeEnv._PAPERCLIP_CODEX_AUTH_JSON = JSON.stringify({ OPENAI_API_KEY: probeApiKey });
probeCommand = "sh";
// Trap on EXIT removes the probe home (with the API-key auth.json) on
// any exit path; we drop `exec` so the wrapper shell stays alive long
// enough for the trap to fire after the child returns.
probeArgs = [
"-c",
'set -e; mkdir -p "$CODEX_HOME"; umask 077; printf "%s" "$_PAPERCLIP_CODEX_AUTH_JSON" > "$CODEX_HOME/auth.json"; unset _PAPERCLIP_CODEX_AUTH_JSON; trap \'rm -rf "$CODEX_HOME"\' EXIT INT TERM; "$0" "$@"',
command,
...args,
];
}
const probe = await runAdapterExecutionTargetProcess(
runId,
target,
command,
args,
probeCommand,
probeArgs,
{
cwd,
env,
env: probeEnv,
timeoutSec: 45,
graceSec: 5,
stdin: "Respond with hello.",
@@ -221,7 +253,9 @@ export async function testEnvironment(
level: "warn",
message: "Codex CLI is installed, but authentication is not ready.",
...(detail ? { detail } : {}),
hint: "Configure OPENAI_API_KEY in adapter env/shell or run `codex login`, then retry the probe.",
hint: probeApiKey
? "OPENAI_API_KEY was provided but Codex still rejected the request. Verify the key is valid for the OpenAI Responses API (e.g. `curl -H \"Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY\" https://api.openai.com/v1/models`), or run `codex login` and seed `~/.codex/auth.json`."
: "Codex CLI does not read OPENAI_API_KEY from the environment; set OPENAI_API_KEY in this adapter's config (so Paperclip writes it to `$CODEX_HOME/auth.json`) or run `codex login` on the host first.",
});
} else {
checks.push({