---
summary: "How OpenClaw dynamic tools are exposed to Codex app-server turns"
read_when:
  - You need to know which OpenClaw tools Codex can call
  - You are changing dynamic tool loading or exclusions
  - You are debugging the Codex tool payload
title: "Codex dynamic tools"
sidebarTitle: "Dynamic tools"
---

Which OpenClaw dynamic tools reach a Codex turn, and how they are loaded. Part of the [Codex harness reference](/plugins/codex-harness-reference); [Where each section moved](/plugins/codex-harness-reference#where-each-section-moved) lists every section.

## Dynamic tools

Codex dynamic tools default to `searchable` loading, exposed under the
`openclaw` namespace with `deferLoading: true`. OpenClaw normally does not
expose dynamic tools that duplicate Codex-native workspace operations or
Codex's own tool-search surface:

- `read`
- `write`
- `edit`
- `apply_patch`
- `exec`
- `process`
- `tool_call`
- `tool_describe`
- `tool_search`
- `tool_search_code`

`progress_card` is not filtered with those native workspace tools. It remains
available through the OpenClaw dynamic-tool bridge as the durable session status
surface.

When a finite runtime allowlist disables native Code Mode, OpenClaw sends an
empty execution-environment selection. In that direct, unsandboxed case,
OpenClaw keeps its policy-filtered `exec` and `process` tools as the shell
fallback. Runtime allowlists and `codexDynamicToolsExclude` still apply.

Most remaining OpenClaw integration tools, such as messaging, media, cron,
browser, nodes, gateway, `heartbeat_respond`, and `web_search`, are available
through Codex tool search under that namespace. This keeps the initial model
context smaller. A small set of tools stay directly callable regardless of
`codexDynamicToolsLoading`, because Codex tool search can be unavailable or
resolve a connector-only universe: `agents_list`, `sessions_spawn`, and
`sessions_yield`. Developer instructions still steer normal Codex subagents
toward native `spawn_agent` for Codex-native subagent work, while
`sessions_spawn` remains available for explicit OpenClaw or ACP delegation.
Message-tool-only source replies also stay direct, since that is a
turn-control contract.

Codex Code Mode projects generic OpenClaw dynamic-tool results as text. Parse a
JSON result before reading fields. Nested dynamic calls are serialized by the
Codex runtime, so `Promise.all` does not submit them concurrently; use a
bounded sequential launch loop when starting collector children.

Tools marked `catalogMode: "direct-only"`, including the OpenClaw `computer`
tool and regular-agent `openclaw` delegation, are grouped under `openclaw_direct`.
OpenClaw adds that namespace to Codex's
`features.code_mode.direct_only_tool_namespaces` list without replacing
operator-supplied entries. Codex therefore exposes those tools as
`DirectModelOnly` in normal and code-mode-only threads instead of routing them
through nested Code Mode `tools.*` calls. This preserves image-bearing results,
which nested Code Mode otherwise flattens to text. It also keeps delegated human
approval on the direct model call: a yielded script cell must not let the model
finish its turn while that approval is still waiting.

Set `codexDynamicToolsLoading: "direct"` only when connecting to a custom
Codex app-server that cannot search deferred dynamic tools or when debugging
the full tool payload.