Codex CLI is showing that openness still matters

ANTHROPIC VS OPENAI

Codex CLI is showing that openness still matters

Two AI coding tools are battling it out for developer attention: OpenAI’s Codex CLI and Anthropic’s Claude Code.

Both are designed to help developers by running coding tasks through cloud-based AI, but Codex CLI seems to be getting the better reception so far.

A big reason comes down to licensing. Codex CLI is released under an Apache 2.0 licence, giving developers the freedom to modify, distribute, and use it commercially.

Claude Code, on the other hand, sits under Anthropic’s stricter commercial licence, meaning changes aren’t allowed without permission.

It doesn’t help that Anthropic also hid Claude Code’s source code.

When a developer managed to reverse-engineer it and share it on GitHub, Anthropic filed a DMCA complaint to have it taken down.

The move didn’t go down well with many developers, especially as OpenAI has been quick to accept suggestions for Codex CLI, even ones that let it connect to rival AI models.

Here’s what you should know:

• Codex CLI’s open licence makes it easy for developers to contribute and use commercially.

• Claude Code’s hidden source and DMCA complaints sparked backlash among developers.

• OpenAI’s openness with Codex CLI might hint at a broader shift in strategy.

A PR plot twist no one expected

Anthropic hasn’t publicly responded.

To be fair, Claude Code is still in beta, and companies often hide their code for security reasons.

Even so, it’s a surprising moment for OpenAI, which has been moving towards more closed-off products recently.

It could be a sign that the company is rethinking its approach.

Imagine gatekeeping your own beta project 💀