codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix Document the /goal CLI command and Goals lifecycle in slash-command docs [3 comments, 3 participants]

Summary

Update after local verification: /goal does exist in codex-cli 0.128.0. This issue is not asking to implement a missing command. It is asking to document and surface the existing Goals entry point clearly in the Codex CLI docs and help/discovery surfaces.

Current behavior

The command appears to be present locally, but is still hard to discover:

• The official CLI slash-command docs checked here list commands such as /plan, /status, /ps, /stop, /compact, and /resume, but did not include /goal.
• A local codex-cli 0.128.0 install contains goal-related command/help strings, including Usage: /goal <objective>, /goal pause, /goal resume, and /goal clear.
• The CLI also appears to have goal status surfaces such as pursuing, paused, achieved, unmet, and budget-limited states.

Because the public docs/help surfaces are not clear, users can reasonably end up asking whether /goal exists at all, or whether Codex can keep working toward a long-running objective across turns.

Requested improvement

Please document and expose the Goals lifecycle in the CLI slash-command docs and any relevant in-product command/help surfaces:

• Add /goal to the official CLI slash-command page.
• Show the basic syntax, for example /goal <objective>.
• Document lifecycle commands such as /goal pause, /goal resume, and /goal clear.
• Explain expected states such as pursuing, paused, achieved, unmet, and budget-limited.
• Explain the high-level semantics: a goal stays active across turns and Codex should continue working toward it until it is achieved, paused/cleared, blocked, or constrained by a configured budget.
• Mention how this differs from adjacent commands such as /plan, /resume, and /compact.

Why this matters

Long-horizon work is one of Codex's most valuable workflows. Users need a reliable, discoverable way to tell Codex: "keep working toward this objective until it is actually done, verify against the current state, and only stop when complete or blocked."

If /goal exists but is not listed in the public slash-command documentation, users may assume the capability is unavailable or may misuse adjacent commands for a workflow that has a first-class lifecycle.

Environment observed

• Codex CLI: 0.128.0
• Platform: Windows / PowerShell
• Documentation checked: https://developers.openai.com/codex/cli/slash-commands

Related context

This is separate from goal-retention/compaction behavior. For example, #19910 discusses preserving active goal context after compaction. This issue is specifically about user-facing discovery and command/documentation clarity.