Summary

OpenAI Codex has announced the general availability of subagents, enhancing its capabilities for coding tasks. These subagents allow for parallel processing and the creation of custom agents tailored to specific needs.

Key Points

• Subagents for OpenAI Codex are now generally available as of March 16, 2026.
• Default subagents include "explorer", "worker", and "default".
• The "worker" subagent is designed for executing large numbers of small tasks in parallel.
• Custom agents can be defined using TOML files located in ~/.codex/agents/.
• Custom agents can utilize specific models, including gpt-5.3-codex-spark for enhanced performance.
• An example prompt demonstrates the use of subagents for debugging and fixing code issues.
• The subagents pattern is supported across various coding platforms, including Claude Code and Gemini CLI.

Analysis

The introduction of subagents and custom agents in OpenAI Codex represents a significant advancement in AI-assisted coding. By enabling parallel task execution and customization, developers can streamline their workflows and improve productivity.

Conclusion

IT professionals should explore the capabilities of subagents and custom agents in OpenAI Codex to enhance their coding efficiency and tackle complex tasks more effectively.