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A tool for the writing desk

Codex
Overleaf Link.

Empower Overleaf with Codex.

Codex Overleaf Link adds a Codex panel next to the Overleaf editor. Ask about your project, or let Codex edit it: changes go back through the editor, as tracked changes if you want, and every run can be undone. Codex runs on your machine through the Codex CLI.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)

Specification Technical record

Runtime
Chrome extension (Manifest V3) + Node.js native host
Platforms
macOS / Windows / Linux
Requirements
Google Chrome on macOS, Windows or Linux (or Chromium on Linux) Node.js 20+ Codex CLI, installed and signed in
Works on
overleaf.com www.overleaf.com cn.overleaf.com Self-hosted Overleaf is not supported.
License
MIT
Runtime dependencies
0
Latest stable
v2.5.1
Pre-release
v2.6.0-rc.1
Releases
109Since 2026-05-04 · v0.1.1
Stars
96As of

01 / The working surface

Inside the editor.

The Codex panel next to the editor and PDF in the Overleaf example project

Plate 1 — The Codex panel next to the editor and PDF in the Overleaf example project.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗

02 / Working plates

Read. Edit. Review.

The controls, their effects, and the details that matter while writing.

Operating modes
What reaches Overleaf

Operating modes and where their changes go
ModeCanChanges go to
Askread the projectnowhere; Overleaf is not touched
Autoread and editOverleaf, in Editing mode
Auto + Trackread and editOverleaf, as tracked changes

Fig. 2.1

Ask, Auto and Track

With Track on, each rewritten sentence becomes one tracked change and small fixes stay word-level, so the Review panel reads like edits made by hand. Accept changes accepts the run's own tracked changes; Undo changes restores the files the run wrote and removes the files it created, also after a page reload.

A tracked change in Overleaf's Review panel, with Accept changes and Undo changes on the run card

Fig. 2.1 — A tracked change in Overleaf's Review panel, with Accept changes and Undo changes on the run card.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗

Fig. 2.2

Context

Attach project files with @ or +, add @compile-log for a compile problem, or select lines in the editor and choose Add to Chat to reference them as a range such as main.tex:22-24. Edit Selection limits the edit to the selected text.

Lines selected in the editor, with the Add to Chat and Edit Selection toolbar

Fig. 2.2a — Lines selected in the editor, with the Add to Chat and Edit Selection toolbar.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗
Two files and a line range attached to the composer

Fig. 2.2b — Two files and a line range attached to the composer.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗

Fig. 2.3

Run timeline and subagents

Parallel Subagents · experimental

Each run keeps its steps and its answer together. Expand the timeline to see what Codex read, ran and changed. With Parallel Subagents on (experimental), the main agent can hand work to readers and workers that run alongside it.

A run timeline with two subagents

Fig. 2.3a — A run timeline with two subagents.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗
A subagent's read-only conversation

Fig. 2.3b — A subagent's read-only conversation.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗

Fig. 2.4

Context window

The ring beside the model shows how full the conversation's context window is. Open it to see the latest input, cached input and output, or to compact the conversation; /compact does the same.

Context window usage beside the model

Fig. 2.4a — Context window usage beside the model.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗
Typing / opens the command and skill menu, with /compact first

Fig. 2.4b — Typing / opens the command and skill menu, with /compact first.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗

Fig. 2.5

Results and compile check

Every run ends with a short result. If a run doesn't go as planned, its card names the cause, what it means for the document, and a next step: Didn't finish, Partly written, Not written, or Check Overleaf.

A compile error on the run card, with a Fix 1 compile error button

Fig. 2.5a — A compile error on the run card, with a Fix 1 compile error button.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗
A fix request with @compile-log drafted in the composer

Fig. 2.5b — A fix request with @compile-log drafted in the composer.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗

Fig. 2.6

Write in My Style

Experimental

Builds a writing-style skill from Overleaf projects and PDFs you choose. The style guides phrasing, rhythm, structure and tone; facts, results and citations still come from your project.

The Writing page in Settings

Fig. 2.6 — The Writing page in Settings.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗

Fig. 2.7

Models and providers

Experimental

The panel uses the local Codex CLI's models by default; choose the model and reasoning level in the composer. Other endpoints can be added under Settings → All projects → Models & connections, with shortcuts for OpenAI-compatible and Anthropic-compatible APIs, Kimi, GLM and DeepSeek.

Provider shortcuts in Models & connections

Fig. 2.7 — Provider shortcuts in Models & connections.

Screenshots from 2.6.0 (pre-release)Full size ↗

03 / Mechanism

From task to text.

How Codex Overleaf Link works The Overleaf editor connects through the page bridge, panel, extension service worker and native host to a project mirror and Codex app-server. All connections are bidirectional except the app-server reading and editing the mirror. The numbered notes below describe the sequence. Native Messaging over stdio JSON-RPC over stdio reads and edits Overleaf projectand editor Page bridge Panel andcontent runtime Extensionservice worker Native host, Node Project mirrorand baseline codex app-server How Codex Overleaf Link works The Overleaf editor connects through the page bridge, panel, extension service worker and native host to a project mirror and Codex app-server. All connections are bidirectional except the app-server reading and editing the mirror. The numbered notes below describe the sequence. Native Messaging over stdio JSON-RPC over stdio reads and edits Overleaf projectand editor Page bridge Panel andcontent runtime Extensionservice worker Native host, Node Project mirrorand baseline codex app-server
Fig. 3 — A local mirror, a native host, and patches written through the editor.

Sequence of operation
Follow a single run

  1. 01

    When you send a task, the extension saves the run's settings and syncs the project into a local mirror, or reuses the mirror if it is still current.

  2. 02

    The native host starts codex app-server on the mirror, with a Codex home of its own.

  3. 03

    When Codex is done, the host compares the mirror with its baseline and turns the differences into text patches and file transfers. An Ask run ends here.

  4. 04

    In Auto, the extension writes each patch through the Overleaf editor, after checking the project, path rules, edit mode and expected text, and shifting the patch past edits made elsewhere since the run started.

  5. 05

    It then records the undo point, confirms the save, refreshes the mirror and, if Auto compile is on, recompiles.

04 / Procedure

Set up the link.

Before you begin
Check requirements ↑

  1. 01

    Run the installer (or ask Codex in a terminal to install it).

    Terminal / npm
    npm exec --yes codex-overleaf-link@latest -- install-managed

    The installer sets up the native host and a managed copy of the extension, then prints the extension's folder.

  2. 02

    In chrome://extensions, turn on Developer mode, click Load unpacked and pick the printed extension folder.

  3. 03

    Open an Overleaf project; the panel appears on the right.

Or, ask Codex to install it

Give Codex this instruction in a terminal:

Install Codex Overleaf Link on this computer. Follow the install steps in https://github.com/Ghqqqq/codex-overleaf-link, then tell me what I still need to do in Chrome.

05 / Release ledger

A record of iteration.

Read the changelog ↗
109

releases since

87 stable
22 pre-releases
As of 2026-10-21

Stable releases / month

  1. 24
  2. 15
  3. 38
  4. 3
  5. 5
  6. 2
Stable releases, grouped by minor version
MinorFirst dateCountLatest tag
0.11v0.1.1 ↗
0.21v0.2.0 ↗
0.31v0.3.0 ↗
0.41v0.4.0 ↗
0.51v0.5.0 ↗
0.61v0.6.0 ↗
0.71v0.7.0 ↗
0.81v0.8.0 ↗
0.92v0.9.5 ↗
1.01v1.0.0 ↗
1.13v1.1.3 ↗
1.22v1.2.6 ↗
1.36v1.3.9 ↗
1.410v1.4.9 ↗
1.54v1.5.3 ↗
1.65v1.6.4 ↗
1.75v1.7.7 ↗
1.87v1.8.6 ↗
1.914v1.9.13 ↗
2.01v2.0.0 ↗
2.16v2.1.5 ↗
2.22v2.2.1 ↗
2.37v2.3.6 ↗
2.42v2.4.1 ↗
2.52v2.5.1 ↗

Pre-release channel: v2.6.0-rc.1 · 2026-10-19