Add a “Teach Me Before Editing” Mode to Codex

ChatGPT Feature requests
1

I would love to see a mode in Codex where it explains what it plans to change before actually modifying the code.

When I use an AI coding tool, I don’t always want the fastest possible implementation.

Sometimes I am working with code that I didn’t write, or I’m learning a new part of the stack. In those situations, having Codex immediately modify several files can make it harder to understand what actually happened.

A workflow like this would be really useful:

  1. I describe the problem.
  2. Codex investigates the relevant files.
  3. Instead of immediately changing anything, it explains:
    • what is causing the problem
    • which files are involved
    • what it proposes to change
    • why those changes are necessary
  4. I approve the plan.
  5. Codex makes the changes.
  6. It shows a short explanation of what changed and why.

For example, if I say:

“Why isn’t this Angular component receiving the value?”

I would like Codex to first explain something like:

“The value is being assigned correctly, but the subscription is created after the component initialization. I found the relevant code in these two files. I suggest moving this logic here because…”

Only after I approve should it modify the files.

I think this would be particularly useful for developers who are using AI not only to build software faster, but also to understand unfamiliar codebases and learn while working on them.

A simple toggle such as:

Explain and wait for approval
Implement directly

could make this workflow much easier.

The goal isn’t to make Codex slower. It’s to give developers more control over when they want an implementation and when they want an explanation first.

2

I like the distinction between “show me a plan” and “teach me enough to approve the plan.” A plan can still be hard to judge if it only lists file edits…

For this mode to be useful, I’d want the explanation structured around:

- observed cause, with the evidence that led to it

- files and dependencies involved

- assumptions Codex is making

- proposed change and alternatives it rejected

- risks or behavior that could regress

- how it will verify the change afterward

Then approval means “I understand and accept this reasoning,” not just “go ahead with these files.” It would also help if Codex highlighted what changed when the plan is revised, because rereading a long plan makes it easy to miss a new assumption or dependency.

Would you want this explanation every time the mode is enabled, or only when Codex detects an unfamiliar area or a multi-file change?

3

Absolutely agree. A “Explain & Wait for Approval” mode would be really useful, especially when working with unfamiliar codebases. Understanding the root cause and proposed changes before implementation would make Codex not just faster, but also a much better learning tool.