Codex lands on Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora as OpenAI closes its last desktop gap

On Tuesday, OpenAI released a preview of a Linux desktop app for ChatGPT. It gives open-source developers access to ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work, and Codex. The company announced it in an August 11, 2026, post on X.

OpenAI covers major desktop OS now

The release completes OpenAI’s platform coverage, the company said.

“Linux has been one of the most-requested platforms for the desktop app, and this launch extends ChatGPT and Codex across every major desktop operating system,” the company said.

OpenAI recommended users run ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work, and Codex “where you already work and build,” alongside their projects and browser workflows on supported systems.

OpenAI lists Ubuntu 24.04 and 26.04 LTS, Debian 13, and Fedora 43 and 44 as supported desktop versions. They’re the base for many downstream flavors, so OpenAI expects a wider set of derivative desktops to run the apps too.

Codex was first shipped about a year ago. It was designed for writing features, answering questions about a codebase, fixing bugs, and proposing pull requests.

Anthropic released Claude for Linux a month ago

OpenAI’s arrival came about a month after Anthropic, which already delivered a Claude desktop app for Linux. Anthropic supports Ubuntu 22.04 or later and Debian 12 or later, which is a slightly older baseline than OpenAI’s.

In May, OpenAI introduced Codex on the ChatGPT mobile app. This launch came after Anthropic had already released the feature for Claude Code, as reported by Cryptopolitan. This desktop release brings the same rivalry to the operating system that runs most developer servers and workstations.

The Linux app also helps OpenAI’s plan to bring its products together. In March, the company confirmed it was building a single desktop application that would merge ChatGPT, Codex, and its Atlas web browser.

That strategy has found its paid engine in Codex. It now has over 5 million weekly active users, most of them paying, compared to a ChatGPT base of about 1 billion mostly free users.

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