fix(codex): bidirectional runtime approval-mode switching for codex-native

[marktai]

Related issue

No linked issue yet (draft) — codex-native runtime approval-mode switching from the web.

Closes #

Summary

Adds a running-session Approvals picker for codex-native that mirrors Codex's own /permissions popup and syncs both directions:

• Web → TUI: PATCH /v1/sessions forwards a codex_approval_mode_change; the runner drives the /permissions popup by keystroke (selects the preset by its menu digit, plus the Full Access confirm). Approval is not a thread/settings/update field like model/effort, so the popup is the mechanism.
• TUI → web: the forwarder maps the approvalPolicy / sandbox / reviewer fields from thread/settings/updated to a preset; the server stamps a read-back label and publishes session.codex_approval_mode, so a /permissions change made inside the TUI tracks in the web picker live (once the thread is subscribed — after the first turn).

Presets mirror the popup in order: Ask for approval / Approve for me / Full Access / Read Only. Codex's set is version-dependent (0.146 omits Read Only), so this is the superset with position-stable menu digits. The config modal's Approvals picker also now resyncs to live store updates while open (until the user edits), so an external change no longer needs a reopen.

ELI5: pick "how much Codex asks before it acts" from the web, and it flips the same switch the codex terminal's /permissions menu does — and flipping it in the terminal makes the web catch up.

flowchart LR
  Web[Web Approvals picker] -- PATCH approval_mode --> Server
  Server -- codex_approval_mode_change --> Runner
  Runner -- /permissions keystrokes --> TUI[codex TUI]
  TUI -- thread/settings/updated --> Forwarder
  Forwarder -- external_codex_approval_mode_change --> Server
  Server -- SSE session.codex_approval_mode + label --> Web

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Test Plan

• Python: uv run --group test pytest tests/test_codex_approval_modes.py tests/test_codex_native_forwarder.py tests/server/integration/test_sessions_endpoints.py (preset + threadSettings→preset mapping, forwarder derivation/sync, server PATCH + external-event TUI→web integration). ruff check / ruff format / pyrefly check clean on changed files.
• Web (web/): npx vitest run on touched files, npm run lint, npm run type-check, npm run build — all green, incl. an open-modal live-resync regression test.
• Manual (live local server + real codex 0.146): web pick → codex TUI switches for all three reachable presets (Full Access includes its confirm sub-dialog); a TUI /permissions change → web picker updates live; the open-modal picker resyncs on an external change.

Demo

• Visual demo attached below

Running-session Approvals picker mirroring Codex's /permissions presets:

Type of change

• Bug fix
• Feature
• UI / frontend change
• Refactor / chore
• Docs
• Test / CI
• Breaking change

Test coverage

• Unit tests added / updated
• Integration tests added / updated
• E2E tests added / updated
• Manual verification completed
• Existing tests cover this change
• Not applicable

Coverage notes

Manual verification ran against a live local server + real codex 0.146: both sync directions and the open-modal live-resync. Two behaviors worth calling out:

• TUI → web needs the forwarder subscribed, which happens after the first turn — the codex app-server rejects subscribing to an empty rollout, so on a zero-message session a TUI /permissions change isn't observed until a turn runs.
• Read Only is only runtime-reachable on codex builds that expose it in /permissions (0.146 does not). The picker offers the superset; on a build without it, selecting Read Only keys a non-existent menu row (a no-op).

Changelog

Switch Codex approval mode (Ask for approval / Approve for me / Full Access / Read Only) from the web, kept in sync with the codex /permissions menu both ways.

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This pull request and its description were written by Isaac.

[marktai]

@yaoharry is this analogous to how you did it? I'm not a huge fan of the terminal input and checking, but there wasn't another way.