PixeltablePixeltable Logo

OpenAI

Codex + Pixeltable

OpenAI's coding agent for the terminal and cloud. Reads and writes files, executes commands. Give it a multimodal backend: one app.py declares tables, computed columns, indexes, and HTTP routes.

Setup playbookAgent SkillCodex site

What is Codex?

Codex is OpenAI's lightweight coding agent. In the terminal it reads and writes files and executes commands; its MCP support covers both remote HTTP servers and local stdio servers, so both Pixeltable surfaces connect cleanly.

Quick start

Four steps. The agent can run all of them when you hand it the setup playbook.

  1. 01

    Install Codex CLI

    Sign in with a ChatGPT account or an API key.

    bash
    npm install -g @openai/codex
codex
  2. 02

    Install Pixeltable

    Python 3.11+ required. `pxt init` marks the project root; schema and service commands refuse an app without one.

    bash
    pip install -U 'pixeltable[serve]'
pxt init
  3. 03

    Add the Pixeltable Skill

    The Skill teaches the agent table/schema patterns, provider integrations, and anti-patterns. Skip this step if the full Pixeltable plugin is already installed. Source: https://github.com/pixeltable/pixeltable-skill

    bash
    npx skills add pixeltable/pixeltable-skill
npx skills list
  4. 04

    Ship a first app

    Declare the tables, start the HTTP routes, then try them in the dashboard. For Cloud, the agent runs `pxt new` for a free database with no account and gives you its claim link, or runs `pxt login` for your account while you confirm its code. Then `pxt db update pxt://<org>:main --add-config-entry`, `pxt schema update`, and `pxt service update`, in that order. The flag writes the hosted entry. An API key is optional for CLI automation.

    bash
    pxt service example --out app.py
pxt schema update app.py my_app
pxt service update app.py my_app
pxt dashboard

MCP configuration

Pixeltable has three MCP servers. Connect the one the job needs.

ServerTransportWhat it can do
pixeltable-webHTTPRead-only docs search and integration listing. No table mutations.
pixeltable-cloudHTTP + AuthKitRead and operate the signed-in Cloud organization: databases, services, catalog, schemas, bounded table rows, failed cells, and logs. Starts a database or a service at once; stops or restarts either, or sets a secret, after a preview (confirm: true). ?read_only=true leaves only the read tools.
pixeltable-developerstdioInspect schemas, query tables, run a REPL against a local or Cloud catalog.

Connect Pixeltable Cloud (read and operate, AuthKit sign-in)

Optional, for Pixeltable Cloud users. When `codex mcp add` detects the server's OAuth, it opens the AuthKit sign-in in your browser; if it says to log in instead, run `codex mcp login pixeltable-cloud`. Read-only mode and disconnecting are on /developers/mcp-cloud.

bash
codex mcp add pixeltable-cloud --url https://www.pixeltable.com/mcp/cloud
# if no browser sign-in opened:
codex mcp login pixeltable-cloud

Connect the WebMCP (docs search, no auth)

Register the remote server:

bash
codex mcp add pixeltable-web --url https://www.pixeltable.com/mcp

Connect the developer MCP (tables + REPL)

Install the server once per machine (step below), then register the stdio command after `--`:

bash
codex mcp add pixeltable-developer -- mcp-server-pixeltable-developer

Install the developer MCP server

Stdio server that inspects schemas, queries tables, and runs a REPL against a local or Cloud catalog. Repository: https://github.com/pixeltable/mcp-server-pixeltable-developer

bash
uv tool install mcp-server-pixeltable-developer
# if uv is missing:
# curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

Example prompts

What to ask Codex once Pixeltable is set up.

Install Pixeltable and set up a table that embeds every image I insert.

Build a RAG pipeline over the PDFs in ./docs and expose a FastAPI route that answers questions.

Transcribe every video in ./media with Whisper, index the transcript, and serve semantic search over HTTP.

Add a computed column that captions each uploaded image with a vision model.

Scaffold app.py with pxt service example, declare the schema, and start the service.

Take app.py and deploy it to my Pixeltable Cloud database pxt://myorg:main.

Build a background-remover API: image in, background removed, POST endpoint.

Common workflows

Set up a Pixeltable app

  1. 1.Hand the agent https://www.pixeltable.com/get-started.md and let it run the playbook
  2. 2.It installs the pxt CLI and the Pixeltable Skill
  3. 3.It scaffolds app.py, declares the schema, starts the service
  4. 4.It verifies the endpoint with a curl request

Build a multimodal pipeline

  1. 1.Describe the pipeline: ingest media, run models, index results
  2. 2.The agent declares the table and computed columns in app.py
  3. 3.It adds an embedding index and an HTTP route that serves results
  4. 4.Insert a row; computed columns run and indexes stay current

Deploy to Pixeltable Cloud

  1. 1.Ask the agent to deploy app.py to Cloud
  2. 2.With no account, the agent runs pxt new and sends you a claim link; with one, it runs pxt login and you confirm the code
  3. 3.It uses the organization’s main database or the database you specify
  4. 4.It runs pxt db update, pxt schema update, pxt service update in order
  5. 5.It finds the hosted endpoint with pxt service list; direct HTTP calls use an API key

Inspect a catalog over MCP

  1. 1.Connect the pixeltable-developer MCP server
  2. 2.The agent lists tables and views in the catalog
  3. 3.It runs read queries and reports schema and row counts
  4. 4.Keep human confirmation on: the developer server can change local catalog state

Tips for success

Hand the agent https://www.pixeltable.com/get-started.md; it is the canonical setup playbook.
Point the agent at https://www.pixeltable.com/llms.txt after setup for the one-file app.py Quick Start.
Keep human confirmation enabled for MCP mutations; the developer server can change catalog state.
Let the agent run `pxt schema diff` before `pxt service update` to preview schema drift.
For a Cloud deploy with no account, the agent runs `pxt new` and gives you a claim link: claim it within 48 hours to keep it. With an account, it runs `pxt login` in its terminal and you confirm the code. Use an API key for automation or backend HTTP calls.
Run `codex mcp list` to confirm all three servers before handing Codex a task.

Troubleshooting

The Pixeltable Skill is not visible after install

Reload or restart the agent. Confirm the install path with `npx skills list` and that the skill targets the current agent.

The agent does not list the MCP server

Validate the config file JSON. pixeltable-web is a remote HTTP server at https://www.pixeltable.com/mcp; pixeltable-cloud is an AuthKit-protected remote server at https://www.pixeltable.com/mcp/cloud; pixeltable-developer is a stdio command, `mcp-server-pixeltable-developer`. Verify the local server is installed with `mcp-server-pixeltable-developer --help`.

`pxt service check` fails: modifies catalog while imported

app.py must declare TableModel tables and FastAPIRouter routes, not run pxt.create_table() at import. Scaffold with `pxt service example`.

Cloud deploy fails with 404: UDF not found

Order is required: `pxt db update pxt://myorg:main`, then `pxt schema update app.py pxt://myorg:main`, then `pxt service update app.py pxt://myorg:main`. Replace `myorg` with your organization slug.

Frequently asked questions

Can Codex set up Pixeltable on its own?

Yes. Give Codex https://www.pixeltable.com/get-started.md: it installs the pxt CLI, adds the Pixeltable Skill, and connects MCP.

Which Pixeltable MCP server should I connect?

pixeltable-web (https://www.pixeltable.com/mcp) searches public docs. pixeltable-cloud (https://www.pixeltable.com/mcp/cloud): Read and operate the signed-in Cloud organization: databases, services, catalog, schemas, bounded table rows, failed cells, and logs. Starts a database or a service at once; stops or restarts either, or sets a secret, after a preview (`confirm: true`). `?read_only=true` leaves only the read tools. pixeltable-developer is a local stdio server with table and REPL tools. Connect the one the job needs.

Can Codex deploy to Pixeltable Cloud?

Yes, through the pxt CLI. With no account, `pxt new` gives Codex a free database and you a claim link: claim it within 48 hours to keep it. With your account, Codex runs `pxt login`, you confirm the code, and it runs `pxt org create` if needed. Either way it deploys to `pxt://<org>:main` with `pxt db update`, `pxt schema update`, and `pxt service update`. An API key is optional for CLI automation and needed for direct hosted HTTP calls from your backend.

Does the Pixeltable Skill work with Codex?

Yes. `npx skills add pixeltable/pixeltable-skill` installs it for the current agent and teaches table/schema patterns, provider integrations, and anti-patterns.

Related agents

GitHub Copilot

AI pair programmer with agent mode. The workspace agent understands your entire project.

Windsurf

The agentic IDE. Cascade flows through multi-step coding tasks.

Gemini CLI

Google's open-source terminal agent powered by Gemini.

All agents

Resources

Agent setup playbook (get-started.md)Site overview for agents (llms.txt)Pixeltable Skill sourceDeveloper MCP serverPixeltable docsCodex

Give Codex a multimodal backend

One app.py declares tables, computed columns, indexes, and HTTP routes. Insert a row; the pipeline runs.

Setup playbookQuick Start GuideView on GitHub