[Codex Desktop] First-class file workspace support for core VS Code-like browse/edit/manage/preview workflows

What feature would you like to see?

Please continue evolving Codex Desktop's file surfaces into a first-class file workspace, so basic agent-driven development does not require keeping VS Code open purely for file browsing, editing, management, or preview.

This is not a request to reimplement all of VS Code (debugger, full extension ecosystem, every language feature, etc.). The request is narrower: close the core file-workflow gaps that currently interrupt the Codex loop.

Desired core workflow

A user should be able to stay in Codex for the common loop:

browse files
  -> open
  -> inspect/edit
  -> ask Codex about file/folder
  -> run
  -> preview output
  -> review diff
  -> iterate

without opening VS Code just to perform ordinary file operations.

Core file-workspace capabilities

File explorer

• Persistent workspace tree with reliable live refresh.
• Expand/collapse folders without losing position.
• Create files/folders.
• Rename and move files/folders.
• Delete with confirmation.
• Copy relative/absolute path.
• Drag/drop or otherwise import files into the workspace.
• Reveal modified/untracked state where practical.

Open/edit

• Open common text/code files directly in an editor surface.
• Multiple open files/tabs or an equivalent fast switching model.
• Normal save/revert/dirty-state behavior.
• Keep user edits and Codex edits synchronized.
• Avoid stale-file overwrites when an in-memory document has unsaved changes.

Agent context integration

• Add a file or folder to the current thread.
• Ask Codex to review/modify/summarize the selected file.
• Preserve exact path/workspace identity in context.
• Open the corresponding diff/review for modified files.

Preview

Use appropriate first-class viewers for common non-plain-text artifacts rather than falling back to raw bytes/JSON or forcing an external application:

• Markdown / rendered documents.
• PDF.
• Images.
• Video/GIF.
• Jupyter notebooks.
• Other structured artifacts where a mature viewer already exists.

Remote parity

For SSH/remote workspaces, the same file workflow should operate against the remote workspace without requiring manual copying, ad-hoc HTTP servers, or opening a separate remote VS Code window just to inspect outputs.

Why compare against VS Code?

The Codex VS Code extension already benefits from VS Code's mature file explorer, editors, previews, terminals, and document lifecycle.

Codex Desktop is increasingly capable as an agent-native development environment, but users still hit a split workflow:

1. Start/steer the agent in Codex Desktop.
2. Open VS Code for a file type or file operation the Desktop app does not handle well.
3. Inspect/edit/run there.
4. Return to Codex.

The goal is not IDE feature parity for its own sake. It is to remove this context switch for the core file-centric agent workflow.

Related issues

This is an umbrella request that connects several narrower issues rather than replacing them:

• #20950 — repository tree as an in-app context-selection tool.
• #20164 — file-tree path actions and refresh behavior.
• #29316 — drag/drop import and right-click delete.
• #29125 — robust remote video/PDF artifact previews.
• #45458 — first-class Jupyter notebook editing/execution/rich output.

Those issues contain important format- or action-specific details. This issue is intended to define the higher-level product requirement: Codex Desktop should be a complete enough file workspace that basic file handling does not force a parallel VS Code window.

Suggested MVP acceptance criteria

1. Common text/code files can be browsed, opened, edited, saved, and reviewed entirely in Codex Desktop.
2. Files/folders can be created, renamed, moved, deleted, and referenced to Codex from the file tree.
3. The file tree updates reliably when either the user, Codex, or a command changes the workspace.
4. Remote workspaces expose the same file operations and previews where technically applicable.
5. Rich file types delegate to appropriate native viewers instead of raw serialization.
6. Unsaved user changes are never silently overwritten by agent edits.
7. Opening VS Code remains an optional power-user action, not a prerequisite for routine file work.

Start by reading the related issues #20950, #20164, #29316, #29125, and #45458 to identify the narrower file-workspace entry points and avoid duplicating their scope. Define a focused slice of the Codex Desktop file workflow, then verify it against the listed MVP criteria, including refresh behavior, remote workspaces, previews, and protection of unsaved edits.