Both tools help developers write, understand, and modify code with AI. However, the experience of using them is surprisingly different.

Let's start with VS Code.

Despite the growing number of AI-first development tools, VS Code remains one of the strongest options available today. It is free, familiar to millions of developers, and supported by one of the largest extension ecosystems in the software industry.

Within a single environment, developers have access to:

Git and GitHub integration Docker tools Database extensions SSH connectivity Debugging and testing tools Thousands of community extensions GitHub Copilot and Agent Mode

For many projects, this combination is more than enough. VS Code is not only a code editor—it is a complete development platform.

However, over the past few months, I have noticed myself opening Codex Desktop more and more often.

The reason is simple: Codex was designed around the idea that AI is not just an assistant but an active participant in the development process.

While VS Code integrates AI into an existing workflow, Codex places AI at the center of the workflow.

This difference becomes particularly noticeable when working on larger projects.

Tasks such as:

Analyzing large codebases Refactoring multiple modules Investigating difficult bugs Implementing complex new features Coordinating multi-step changes

often feel more natural inside Codex.

In many situations, Codex requires fewer prompts, fewer corrections, and less context management from the developer. It often understands the broader objective and maintains focus throughout longer engineering tasks.

Another important factor is access to the latest Codex models. Improvements in reasoning, planning, and code understanding are becoming increasingly noticeable as coding agents mature.

That said, I have not replaced VS Code.

In fact, my current workflow relies on both tools.

VS Code remains my primary environment for infrastructure work, Docker management, Git operations, debugging, testing, and everyday software engineering.

Codex Desktop has increasingly become my preferred environment for exploring ideas, implementing larger features, and collaborating with an AI agent on complex development tasks.

Recently, the Codex ecosystem expanded even further with the introduction of Mobile Codex.

The ability to monitor tasks, review progress, and interact with coding agents directly from a smartphone opens entirely new workflows. Development is no longer tied to a desk, making it possible to stay connected to projects from virtually anywhere.

If someone asked me to choose only one tool today, the answer would not be straightforward.

VS Code remains the most mature and versatile development platform available. Its ecosystem, flexibility, and integrations are difficult to match.

At the same time, Codex represents something different. It feels less like a traditional IDE and more like the next step in AI-native software development.

That is why, despite continuing to use VS Code every day, I increasingly find myself launching Codex Desktop first.

Perhaps the best way to describe the difference is this:

VS Code is an excellent editor with AI.

Codex is AI that happens to write software.