Codex CLI vs Codex Cloud: local sessions and remote handoff
Codex CLI and Codex Cloud can both appear in Agent Control, but they represent different execution locations. Local CLI observations come from the Mac; cloud runs remain remote and use remote handoff.
Codex CLI: local session context
Codex CLI runs in a local terminal. Agent Control can surface supported native approve/deny requests and session handoff. For numbered-question submission, the exact active question and a uniquely verified live terminal target must be available, and terminal control must be enabled with Accessibility permission. Otherwise use Open Session with a read-only preview.
Codex CLI asks users to review and trust NotchDock hooks in its hooks screen. NotchDock checks the stored trust record for configured hooks; Codex remains responsible for validating hook hashes. NotchDock does not change Codex trust settings.
Codex Cloud: remote run context
Codex Cloud represents a remote run. Agent Control can show remote status and provide a web handoff when a valid destination is available. It does not treat remote process identifiers as local Mac processes and does not claim local terminal control over a cloud run.
Questions and handoff
Some local Codex questions can be recovered from recent session history when a live owner is known. A copied handoff answer includes a stable NotchDock reference; after pasting and sending that answer in Codex, local history can clear the matching question. Copying is a handoff—the app does not send that answer to Codex on your behalf.
Which one should you use?
Choose Codex CLI when the work is happening in a local terminal and you need local session visibility. Choose Codex Cloud when you want status for a remote run and a link back to its web workflow. The monitoring surface does not make their control capabilities equivalent.
See how local, cloud, and SSH monitoring handle permissions and data.