From a feature request to reviewed delivery: getting started with codex-sdlc

Kai — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:38:15 +0000

A feature request involves more than writing code. Someone needs to clarify the requirements, coordinate the backend and frontend, check the result, and explain what is ready for review.

I’ve been building codex-sdlc to give Codex a repeatable process for that work. It’s an open-source plugin and repository framework, and I’m its author and maintainer.

The idea is simple: describe the outcome you want, let the framework coordinate the delivery stages, and keep the important decisions with you.

What does SDLC mean?

SDLC stands for Software Development Life Cycle: the process of turning an idea into software through requirements, implementation, verification and review.

codex-sdlc organizes that process into roles:

PM: coordinates tasks, dependencies and handoffs.
Business analysis: defines requirements and acceptance criteria.
Backend and frontend: implement the assigned changes.
QC: independently checks the integrated feature using a separate AI role.
Optional AI Product Owner: offers an advisory review.

You clarify requirements when needed and make the final acceptance decision.

What happens to a feature request?

Consider this example:

Let users save favorite items and find them later.

That request raises questions. Do users need to sign in? Should favorites persist across sessions? Who can see them? What happens when saving fails?

The workflow brings those questions into requirements and acceptance criteria, then coordinates API design, implementation, integration and quality checks.

The final report describes the changes, recorded verification evidence and remaining limitations. You can accept the delivery or request further work.

How to try it

You’ll need:

Codex.
Node.js >=24.16.0 <25 and npm 11.
An existing application repository.

Initialization configures your existing application directories. It does not scaffold a complete product from an empty folder.

1. Install the plugin

Visit kaiz.cloud and click Install plugin to open the plugin’s directory page.

2. Initialize your project

Open the application repository in Codex and send:

Initialize codex-sdlc for this existing project. Explain the setup choices and show the dry run before applying changes.

Tell Codex where your backend, web or mobile code lives. Review the proposed configuration, apply the setup, and let the checks finish.

If your frontend and backend live in different repositories, provide both locations. One coordinator repository keeps the shared delivery record.

3. Start with a small feature

Once setup checks pass, ask:

Start a codex-sdlc feature delivery for: let users save favorite items and find them later.

Choose something small enough that you can review the outcome yourself and judge whether the workflow helps.

What stays with the project?

The plugin provides the skills. Your repository receives the framework and its recorded state under .sdlc/.

Requirements, tasks, decisions, blockers and command evidence stay with the project, allowing a later session to resume an existing run.

You can also configure models by role and use built-in presets for Go, Next.js, Flutter, PostgreSQL and Redis. Generic application presets support other stacks with project-specific verification commands.

The framework is open source under Apache 2.0. Running its agents uses your Codex usage allowance.

I’d love your feedback

I’m especially interested in whether setup is understandable, whether the role handoffs help, and whether the delivery report gives you enough information to make a decision.

If you try it, tell me what feels useful—and what feels like unnecessary process.