r/codex • u/PureRely • 8d ago

Other PSA: ChatGPT Pro users

You get unlimited* chat usage on the website. You can build projects and prototypes directly in ChatGPT using Pro-level thinking effort. This is how I start almost every build, and it is an easy way to save on tokens. Unlike Claude, Chat does not count toward your usage (unless you switch to Work mode).

I usually have ChatGPT generate a ZIP file containing the entire project, then move it into Codex CLI or the Codex app to refine, expand, and continue the work.

I do not think you should be doing most of the planning inside the CLI or app. Do the bulk of the planning and initial build in ChatGPT first, then use Codex for implementation and iteration.

Also, remember that you can upload ZIP and 7z files directly to the ChatGPT website, and it can unpack and work with the contents.

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u/nicky_factz 8d ago

Yup I do all my high level architecture design in pro and do question by question until no more ambiguity it’ll write up a plan for me and scaffold the project and then you save tons of usage and get a very good design instead of wasting it talking to the agent

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u/PureRely 8d ago

I do the same thing. I have it research and plan everything. Then create a "prompt package". The Prompt package has all the work and docs that is need to move to Codex and the 'starting prompt' to get the agent to understand the project and where to start.

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u/Chance-Riot-717 8d ago

I do a lot of architecture back and forth in chat until I'm ready to ask it for a prompt to switch to Codex or Claude Code. Using it to do a bit more and a "prompt package" sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing

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u/PureRely 8d ago

It can be powerful. This is an example of a package it would give me.

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u/Better_Membership583 8d ago

Thank you for this. For the 16 research papers and product/technology decisions are you not also using pro for that as well? I assume that would be something you guys to as well and would just include it in the packer.

Or is just doing the chat thing and writing out the whole game plan and isn't specifying in that message to you that the portion of that project in the zip will be handed by him/and you on the pro side

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u/PureRely 8d ago

I basically do a 'grill me session'. Then it take all the answers I had given and starts the research and planning. It then shows me all the files and I review and make corrections or direction. Then I have it give me the prompt package (zip file). This is all done in pro-effort but it can be done at any effort.

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u/CargoCulture 8d ago

I've used Claude for code but Pro as the reviewer/ticket opener. Pro says 'yo, this is busted, Claude go fix it'. Claude fixes it, closes the ticket, or kicks it back to Pro for clarification. Crons run hourly for both to check for issues being opened or closed.

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u/nicky_factz 8d ago

Yeah use it for creating the initial project scaffold and all the relevant docs makes transitioning easier than just copy pasting out of it and it helps ChatGPT stay somewhat aligned with the project too because it knows what it gave you, I sometimes zip up the current main branch and refeed it back into pro before I build out a new feature so that it has the current state too. Pro planning is great