▍ Codex Remote SSH hosting

Run the Codex app on a remote SSH host that stays online.

Connect Codex to a prepared Debian remote development environment over key-only SSH, then return to the same files and processes without operating a VPS.

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€6/month flat price
2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM · 50 GB
Codex app + browser access

codex-refactor

$ codex

Codex · /workspace/repo

> Refactor the data loader to stream results and add tests.

I’ll inspect the loader, implement streaming, and cover it with tests.

Plan

Update loader to async generator

Add backpressure handling

Write unit tests

Update integration tests

Run test suite

Edit src/loader/stream.ts

+ 142 − 68

Edit test/loader/stream.test.ts

+ 211

Bash npm test

> 32 passed (1.2s)

✓ All tests passing.

What changes

The terminal becomes a place you return to.

The execution host stays available

Codex runs in a hosted environment instead of depending on your laptop. Paid terminals, files, and processes continue when you close the browser or put your own computer to sleep.

The official app can connect directly

Terminalbox exposes a key-only SSH endpoint for paid panes. Add the host to your SSH config, confirm it with the normal ssh command, then select it in the Codex app.

Hosting cost is predictable

Base is €6 per month for one persistent terminal with 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, and 50 GB of workspace. Terminalbox does not add per-minute compute charges.

Optional Codex plugin

Install the reviewed setup assistant.

Codex Remote SSH v0.4.0

Choose the native Codex plugin in steps 1–2 or the standalone GitHub CLI install in step 3. This skills-only Agent Plugins 1.0 release verifies the gateway, proposes one bounded SSH host entry, and checks the remote login shell. It cannot start checkout, read private keys, or change SSH configuration without approval. GitHub indexes third-party skills but does not verify them, so review the source first.

Review source ↗ Open v0.4.0 release ↗ View independent listing and scans ↗

1
Add the public marketplace
codex plugin marketplace add Anchras/terminalbox-tools
2
Install the SSH setup plugin
codex plugin add codex-remote-ssh@terminalbox-tools
3
Alternative: install the standalone skill with GitHub CLI
gh skill install Anchras/terminalbox-tools configure-codex-remote-ssh --agent codex --scope user

How it works

From sign-in to a persistent session.

01
Start Base and create a Codex pane

Base includes one persistent environment. Copy its pane slug from the dashboard; that slug is the SSH username for the gateway.
02
Add your public SSH key

Open Settings → SSH → Inbound access and add the public key from your computer. Terminalbox never asks for the matching private key.
03
Test SSH, then add the host in Codex

Put the host block below in ~/.ssh/config, replace the pane slug and key path, verify ssh terminalbox-codex, then add terminalbox-codex under Codex Settings → Connections.

Connection recipe

Add one concrete SSH host for Codex

OpenAI discovers named hosts from ~/.ssh/config. Replace the two placeholders, then test the alias before selecting it in the Codex app.

Host terminalbox-codex
  HostName terminalbox.ai
  Port 2222
  User <pane-slug>
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/<private-key-file>
  IdentitiesOnly yes

Published ED25519 host-key fingerprint: SHA256:lKotXRoSRhnkkf941lrsrUKRrtqPPZcBLC33kZ6YjX4

Before you start

Questions worth answering.

What does Codex hosting add to Codex?

Terminalbox supplies the persistent Linux execution environment: compute, storage, browser terminal, key-only SSH gateway, Terminalbox CLI attachment, and tmux. OpenAI supplies Codex, its models, authentication, and usage allowance.

Is Codex or OpenAI usage included in the €6 price?

No. You bring an eligible ChatGPT plan or OpenAI API access. Terminalbox charges only for the hosted environment, and OpenAI controls Codex availability, limits, and model charges.

Why not use Codex in ChatGPT or on my laptop?

Use OpenAI’s own surfaces when they already provide the workflow you need. Managed hosting is useful when Codex must work inside one persistent, interactive Linux shell that stays available independently of your laptop.

Can I connect the official Codex app to this environment?

Yes. Paid panes expose a key-only SSH endpoint at terminalbox.ai on port 2222. The SSH username is the pane slug. Confirm the host works with the normal ssh command before adding it in Codex Settings → Connections.

Does the SSH gateway support port forwarding or SFTP?

No. The gateway is deliberately limited to shell and remote-command sessions for the pane’s unprivileged user. It rejects TCP, agent, X11, and filesystem forwarding.

When is a DIY VPS the better choice?

Choose a VPS when you need root access, custom kernel or firewall control, a dedicated public IP, or want to own server hardening and maintenance. Terminalbox is a managed container and intentionally does not provide host-level control.

What survives when I close the browser?

On paid plans, the hosted environment, persistent home directory, running processes, and tmux session continue while your subscription is active. Reopening the terminal attaches to the same workspace.

Persistent by default

Start here. Pick it up anywhere.

Plans start at €6 per month for one hosted coding-agent terminal.

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