Bug: codex fails with "Missing optional dependency @openai/codex-linux-x64" on Ubuntu x86_64

[tsugumi-sys]

What version of Codex CLI is running?

0.110.0

What subscription do you have?

Plus

Which model were you using?

No response

What platform is your computer?

No response

What terminal emulator and version are you using (if applicable)?

No response

What issue are you seeing?

Running codex fails with:

Error: Missing optional dependency @openai/codex-linux-x64.
Reinstall Codex: npm install -g @openai/codex@latest

Environment:

• OS: Ubuntu 22.04.4 LTS
• Kernel: 5.15.0-157-generic
• Architecture: x86_64
• Node: v24.14.0
• npm: 11.9.0
• Codex CLI: 0.110.0

What steps can reproduce the bug?

node -v
# v24.14.0

npm -v
# 11.9.0

sudo npm install -g @openai/codex@latest

which codex
# /usr/local/bin/codex

codex --version

What is the expected behavior?

No response

Additional information

No response

[github-actions]

Potential duplicates detected. Please review them and close your issue if it is a duplicate.

• npm install -g @openai/codex@latest broken on Windows after dist-tag packaging change (#11339) #11744
• Windows global npm install misses optional @openai/codex-win32-x64; codex fails to start #12931

Powered by Codex Action

[tsugumi-sys]

Downgrading Node resolved the issue.

The problem occurred with the following environment:

• Node: v24.14.0
• npm: 11.9.0
• Codex CLI: 0.110.0
• OS: Ubuntu 22.04.4 LTS (x86_64)

Running codex resulted in:

Error: Missing optional dependency @openai/codex-linux-x64

As a workaround, I downgraded Node using nvm:

nvm install 22
nvm use 22
npm install -g @openai/codex@latest

After switching to:

• Node: v22.22.0
• npm: 10.9.4

codex works correctly.

This may indicate a compatibility issue with Node 24 / npm 11 and optional dependency resolution.

[etraut-openai]

I've confirmed this was introduced in this PR.

[bolinfest]

Hmm, so if you go to https://www.npmjs.com/package/@openai/codex?activeTab=code and look at package.json, you should see:

  "optionalDependencies": {
    "@openai/codex-linux-x64": "npm:@openai/codex@0.110.0-linux-x64",
    "@openai/codex-linux-arm64": "npm:@openai/codex@0.110.0-linux-arm64",
    "@openai/codex-darwin-x64": "npm:@openai/codex@0.110.0-darwin-x64",
    "@openai/codex-darwin-arm64": "npm:@openai/codex@0.110.0-darwin-arm64",
    "@openai/codex-win32-x64": "npm:@openai/codex@0.110.0-win32-x64",
    "@openai/codex-win32-arm64": "npm:@openai/codex@0.110.0-win32-arm64"
  }

Based on the report of OS: Ubuntu 22.04.4 LTS (x86_64), this should install codex@0.110.0-linux-x64, which certainly seems to exist:

https://www.npmjs.com/package/@openai/codex/v/0.110.0-linux-x64

And if you look at the package.json for that specific tag, you see:

{
  "name": "@openai/codex",
  "version": "0.110.0-linux-x64",
  "license": "Apache-2.0",
  "os": [
    "linux"
  ],
  "cpu": [
    "x64"
  ],

so those os and cpu entries are what should enable npm to figure out that it is the appropriate optional dependency to install for the host machine.

Perhaps these tags/values changed in npm 11? If so, this seems like a bug/regression in npm.

[cbirdliu]

npm install -g @openai/codex@0.111.0 "@openai/codex-linux-x64@npm:@openai/codex@0.111.0-linux-x64" && codex -v
will work for Ubuntu users

[bolinfest]

ChatGPT found some related issues regarding os and cpu information being pruned:

• [BUG] optional dependencies for OS/CPU package variants are being pruned unexpectedly npm/cli#7961
• [BUG] Platform-specific optional dependencies not being included in package-lock.json npm/cli#8320

And then npm/cli#8535 claims npm >= 11.10.1 fixes things?

[tsugumi-sys]

@bolinfest I've tested with npm@11.11.0 but the issue is the same.

[Marcus112-CS]

npm install -g @openai/codex@0.111.0 "@openai/codex-linux-x64@npm:@openai/codex@0.111.0-linux-x64" && codex -v will work for Ubuntu users适用于 Ubuntu 用户
Tested with npm@10.9.2 , the problem still exist

[lamb007]

npm install -g @openai/codex@0.111.0 "@openai/codex-linux-x64@npm:@openai/codex@0.111.0-linux-x64" && codex -v will work for Ubuntu users

Tested with npm@11.11.0 , the problem solved.