Quick answer
Understand native Codex themes, visual background themes, CLI themes, installation, sharing, and safety.
What a Codex theme changes
A Codex theme changes the visual system around your work: base mode, accent, foreground and surface colors, code presentation, and—when using an advanced visual pack—the atmosphere behind the native interface.
The useful distinction is native versus visual. Native themes use options Codex exposes. Visual themes add artwork and layout-aware overlays through a reversible local layer.
Choose the right type
Use a native theme when reliability matters most. Choose a visual theme when you want artwork, a stronger personal identity, or a branded workspace.
- Native theme: colors and fonts, easiest to share.
- Visual theme: image, focal point, overlays, and a fuller palette.
- CLI theme: terminal syntax highlighting through a .tmTheme file.
Install safely
A safe theme should be local-first, reversible, and explicit about every file it changes. It should never rewrite provider credentials or modify the signed Codex application package.
Compatibility note: Native Codex appearance controls and advanced visual image layers are different. Get Codex Theme labels the delivery path and never treats an experimental visual layer as an official Appearance feature.