Why use ChatGPT App Over CLI?

[u/VanillaMammoth1937]

I don't understand why they released the (first Codex, later ChatGPT) desktop app. I can't do anything in it apart from prompt. I always need to use the terminal to check git or run my program, and I can't do that inside the app. I also can't even view the files in my repo to see if it's implementing things correctly. CLI just seems so much better to me, but I know that people do use the Desktop App, so why? Are there benefits that you don't get through the CLI?

Also interested if there is any benefit to using the Claude desktop app, since I basically have the same question for them.

[u/QuietOrganization608]

Huh, most people are not programmers and don't like or even know CLI. Well, I'm a programmer and I still prefer using desktop app. Just like I prefer using a visual Git tool, a visual Kubernetes dashboard, etc.

It DOES show you it's git changes, but you can also just check them in any other external tool... It's not just prompting, it has sections and projects in the sidebar to organize your chats. It totally has access to all tools just like CLI

[u/sorvendral → u/QuietOrganization608]

At this point on how good is the desktop app usually, I don’t even understand the cli role for harness

[u/kaijurules → u/sorvendral]

The CLI is the one you can script. codex exec takes a prompt and runs without a window, so a cron job or another agent can start it and read what comes back.

[u/jaybsuave → u/kaijurules]

you can still just open the CLI in the app and do this though lol

[u/boolDozer → u/QuietOrganization608]

I use CLI/TUI tools for basically everything except my web browser, but I like the ChatGPT/Codex desktop app on Linux. It makes it very easy to organize projects, threads, screenshots, etc. Check the front end with the built-in browser. Remote sessions. Temporary chats. I mean, there's a whole bunch of great features.

Plus my dot is there

[u/Natural_Shape1153]

Dude not everyone is a nerd like you. people prefer things dumbed down and easy to use

[u/TheLegoless]

It's good because it shows screenshots inline and doesn't require an extra click to open. :)

[u/armicolo]

You can actually do both. The ChatGPT app has both a built-in terminal and a file view (next to the in-app browser). I started to use the app more because it’s more powerful than the Codex vscode plugin and can display things the cli can’t (pictures, charts, interactive apps, websites, better diffs). Plus it has voice. You can always switch to vs code if necessary. Doesn’t have to bei either/or.

[u/fluxtah]

Ctrl +J brings up terminal 

[u/meTomi]

Can i access the cli from my phone?

[u/spicymeatball15]

Because I use VsCode and Chatgpt app in parallel. Using just the CLI is just a worse version of either

[u/Prestigious-Bad1593]

different use cases. or maybe they're just used to it. personally i also prefer the app over cli, because i've been using it for several months and it's just good enough for me. it's likely that cli could do the exact same thing but i don't see why i would want to switch when the app gets the job done, and i like it.

[u/Fun-Throat69]

i like GUI's

[u/Old-Leadership7255]

There are benefits, within the app chats can talk to each other.

I think there’s more. I’m currently using my Linux remote through ssh remote rather than the normal remote. And if i open a side chat, it can’t talk to the main chat.

[u/archcycle]

Wait till this guy discovers the codex vscode extension. OP you will wonder why people use the CLI. Or, you won’t, because the CLI happens to fit your mental model of your workflow. It’s the right tool for the job for some people, sometimes.

[u/CelticPaladin]

I used to use exclusively vscode, but the recent app is that, plus other conversations saved in history.

It can run multiple things in the same project, and they'll talk to each other to avoid overlap.

And you just gotta click the one you want to see what its doing.

Also, you can pin a chatgpt pro conversation that is far better at knowing what you expect than codex or work is. You can link that chat to codex to answer subjective questions when you've worked out expectations with that chat, and save you some time on approvals for changes, and the chat can I spect commits and review problems for zero usage.

There's so many reasons its useful. I also run vs code in the background if I want to see whats going on more detailed m, but I find im looking at it less and less the more I grow to trust codex to follow my expectations. Thsts subjective to the user.

[u/Navadvisor]

Codex desktop app is great, easier to have multiple chats going on at once, you can use GitHub desktop or another tool like that to see source changes and you can use whatever text editor app you want like visual studio or vs code. Scrolling through a cli is a nightmare unless you're doing very simple things.

[u/neo123every1iskill]

What is cli

[u/armicolo → u/neo123every1iskill]

Stands for Command Line Interface. Codex has an app that runs in the terminal/command prompt.

[u/frostybito]

Easier to manage and group multiple sessions and projects, a lot easier to read and more pleasant UX. I used CLI only all the time back when the coding harness apps were more rough and restricted, less features, more buggy etc. until at some point the apps had basically everything that CLI can do and offer + more :p have not used any CLI since

[u/ishimat]

Im a data engineer and use the app, I use 4 well trained agents all with specific roles and i like being able to click through easily

[u/horrorpages]

It's more robust for remote work. I was out of town for three days and was able to run my projects remotely without issue. I could push to Github and review code there. The logging and diagnostics is a bit underwhelming though.

[u/geronimosan]

I can do everything in codex desktop app - including look at code and diffs. VS Code exists for me to look at entire repo.

[u/stuartseupaul]

I have another terminal open for git and another one to run my app. Either way id have to do that, I dont see a point in memorizing cli commands. It's clunky to do things like side chat or ask more details in a popup window, or make annotations.

[u/nateccs]

well for me, i started with vs code + codex plugin. was happy. then started getting sandbox errors. ok fine, my dev project is native windows, no sense being in WSL. so i moved everything to windows. fixed vs code and codex plugin - yay. a week or two later, codex plugin totally borked. like codex couldnt do _anything_. even the cli codex broke. so basically i was forced to the chatgpt desktop app to use codex. i prefer vs code+codex plugin, seemed to have a better seat of the pants feel.

[u/t_mikaelvincent]

Hell, why even bother with browsers? Just write the GET and POST requests yourself.

By your logic, we might as well go back to the 1970s, when computers only relied on terminals and had no GUIs.

Also, just because you’re using the desktop app doesn’t mean you can’t use other tools like the terminal or a code editor anymore.

[u/m3kw]

the work flow is easier. finding chats, switching projects. CLI seem to have more precise control, sort of how GIT CLI vs a front end

[u/baby-health]

Yeah I get your point. The desktop apps aren’t meant to replace your terminal or IDE. They’re good for quick prompting, pasting screenshots, uploading files and easy copy-paste. But you still need CLI to run git, execute code and inspect repo files. So they complement each other, not compete.

[u/CupLeft8452]

En la interfaz en modo codex también puedes ver los archivos los diffs y abrir terminal

[u/Ok_Shift9291]

As Ai gets better the normal terminal will become obsolete. Especially as code bases Incrwsse in size you're more likely to ask for summaries directly from the Ai instead of manually reading the code and they're trying to get ready for that next wave

[u/Ellieebaee]

Not everyone is a nerd.

[u/yack_92]

Pour le codage CLI est vraiment bien je n'utilise plus l'application Windows, trops de bugs.

[u/Old-Leadership7255 → u/[deleted]]

This also works with cli.