Give Codex a memory of the calls you have already made.
Usual is a local skill for Codex that turns old coding conversations into evidence for the next small decision.
Every project asks for tradeoffs. Which storage? Which dependency? Do we need sign-in yet? You have probably answered some of these before, but the answer only helps if its context comes along with it.
Use Usual from Codex
Learn Usual
Give Codex this prompt: Learn Usual: https://tryusual.com/learn.md.
Choose your history
The first conversation lets you use recent history, all available local history, or start without mining old conversations.
Use $usual
Ask Codex to use Usual, or invoke $usual directly. Autopilot is the default; check-in and escalation modes are available when you want more distance or more caution.
What makes this different from a big rules file?
A rules file is useful when a rule is stable and universal. Usual is for the softer layer: repeated judgment calls, reasons, exceptions, and the cases where you changed your mind.
| When you need… | Use… |
|---|---|
| A current fact about a repository | Project documentation or the repository itself |
| A stable instruction that always applies | Your normal agent rules or project instructions |
| Evidence about how you tend to choose | Usual's decision history |
Keep the review in the loop
Usual records the agent's rationale and the evidence it used. You can accept the call, correct it, or leave it out. A correction can preserve the exception instead of flattening it into a rule.
That is the point: less back-and-forth, without pretending that yesterday's answer is permission for today's consequential action.
Next
Read the full workflow, check the data boundaries, or follow the Codex installation steps.