Codex Desktop as a General Assistant Beyond Coding

Melvin Vivas · X post · 2026-05-08 · Open on X

Topics: AI Dev Tools & Productivity · Level: beginner

Summary

Argues that Codex Desktop is more than a coding tool and is becoming a close competitor to Claude Cowork. Besides coding, it now works with your files and has memory, so the creator suggests using it instead of ChatGPT.

Key points

• Codex is growing beyond coding into a general assistant.
• It now supports working with your local files.
• It now supports memory.
• The creator sees it as a close competitor to Claude Cowork.

Resources mentioned

• Codex Desktop · tool · developers.openai.com · check price
  OpenAI's desktop app, which can now be configured to use Ollama models through a plugin.
  Also in: Use local Ollama models in ChatGPT Desktop (Codex app) (Melvin Vivas on X · notes)
• Claude Cowork · tool · claude.com · paid
  Anthropic's mode for handing Claude bigger, multi-step agentic work; its capabilities are now part of regular Claude chat.
  Also in: Claude Cowork and Claude Code have separate usage limits (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), Claude Chat and Cowork Merge into One Conversation (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), Claude Cowork Comes to Mobile and Web (Beta Announcement) (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), Claude Desktop Now Available on Linux (Beta) (Melvin Vivas on X · notes) and 3 more
• ChatGPT · tool · chatgpt.com · free · recommended by both Bashiri Smith & Melvin Vivas
  OpenAI's AI assistant (web, desktop and mobile apps), used for chat, coding, writing and image generation.
  Also in: Sign in with ChatGPT: Setting Usage Limits for Each App (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), Dots Demo: A Voice AI Agent Handling Travel Booking and Feedback Triage (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), ChatGPT Can Commit Code Directly to Your GitHub Repo (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), OpenAI Dots: Agents Inside ChatGPT That Debug, Fix, and Open PRs (Melvin Vivas on X · notes) and 23 more

Try this

• Try Codex Desktop for tasks other than coding, such as working with files.