Record App Demos with Codex (Agent-Driven)

Vorec Team · 2026-06-09 · About 6 min read

Codex can record a narrated demo of your app by driving the Vorec command-line tool, `@vorec/cli`, from the terminal; there is no Codex-specific plugin and none is needed. Codex writes a `vorec.json` manifest of the actions, then runs the recording through the Vorec Recorder on your Mac at retina 2x. You watch the raw MP4 before anything uploads. After approval, Vorec writes the script from the captured actions, generates a synced voiceover and can produce a written step-by-step guide.

If you build with Codex, you've probably noticed the demo gap. Codex writes the feature, you confirm it works, and then making a demo of it is entirely on you — open a recorder, click through, narrate live, edit. The agent did the hard part and handed you the busywork. There's no reason it has to be that way: the same engine that lets Claude Code record demos works just as well from Codex, through the Vorec command-line tool.

This guide shows the agent-driven recording flow for Codex (and any coding agent that can run a command) — so the agent that built your app can also produce a real, narrated demo of it.

"Agent records your app demo" isn't Claude-Code-only. The recording engine and AI narration are agent-agnostic — Codex drives the exact same flow through the CLI, with the same retina capture and the same narration quality.

Plugin vs CLI: where Codex fits

Vorec exposes agent-driven recording two ways, and the difference is just how the agent drives it:

Claude Code has a dedicated `record-tutorial` plugin — the most turnkey path.
Codex and other agents drive the identical flow through `@vorec/cli` (the Vorec command-line tool): capture runs locally through the Vorec Recorder, and only the take you approve is uploaded for narration. There's no Codex-specific plugin — and there doesn't need to be, because the CLI is the universal interface.

So the mental model is clean: Claude Code = plugin, Codex (and everything else) = CLI, same recording engine and same AI narration underneath. The end result — a real, narrated demo of your running app — is the same either way.

The Codex recording flow

Here's how Codex drives a demo recording. The agent works through the CLI, which drives the Vorec Recorder (the macOS capture engine) locally and, after you approve the take, uploads it to Vorec for narration:

Codex describes the walkthrough. It writes a small manifest (a `vorec.json`) listing the app and the actions to perform, in order.
Codex runs the recording. Using `@vorec/cli`, it drives a real recording of your running app through the Vorec Recorder — retina 2× capture, genuine footage of your actual product.
You review the raw recording. Because the CLI separates recording from upload, you get to watch the real MP4 before anything is processed — a nice checkpoint.
The CLI uploads and triggers narration. Vorec uses the actions captured during the recording to write the script and generate a synced voiceover, then returns the editor link.
You get a finished, narrated demo — plus, optionally, a written step-by-step guide from the same recording.

The whole thing is command-driven, which is exactly why it fits Codex: it lives in the terminal, where Codex already operates.

Have Codex generate the `vorec.json` manifest right after it finishes a feature, while it still has the flow in context. Describing the walkthrough — "open the dashboard, create a project, run the export" — is something the agent that just built those screens does well.

Setup for Codex

You'll need a Mac (the Vorec Recorder is a macOS app), the recorder installed, and the CLI available.

Install the Vorec Recorder for macOS from the Vorec download page and sign in.
Make the CLI available — `@vorec/cli` (run via `npx @vorec/cli`), authenticated with your Vorec API key.
Have your app running locally so there's a real product to record.
Ask Codex to record a demo — it writes the manifest and drives the CLI.

Once set up, recording a demo from Codex is a matter of asking, the same way you'd ask it to run tests or a build.

A note on exact commands: the precise CLI subcommands evolve as the tool improves, so check the current Vorec CLI docs for the exact syntax. The flow — manifest → record the running app → review → upload + narrate → editor link — is stable regardless of the specific commands.

Why a real recording matters (vs generated demos)

It's tempting to use a tool that just generates a demo video from a prompt or your landing-page URL. But those produce an approximation, not your product:

Approach	What you get	Authenticity
Prompt-to-video generator	Synthetic/avatar video	❌ Not your real app
URL-to-MP4 service	Demo from your marketing site	⚠️ Not your real flows
Codex + Vorec (CLI)	Real recording of your running app, AI-narrated	✅ Your actual product

When Codex drives a Vorec recording, the demo is genuine footage of your app — real data, real UI, real flows — which is what actually convinces a user or prospect. The narration is generated from that recording, so it matches what's on screen.

A narrated demo produced from a real recording takes minutes, and when Codex drives the CLI, your involvement is approving the raw take. Same retina capture and narration as the Claude Code path — just driven from the terminal.

What Codex can record

Anything Codex builds, it can document via the same flow:

Feature demos for your changelog or landing page
Onboarding walkthroughs that stay current as the app changes
Bug repros — Codex reproduces and records the issue with narrated steps
Marketing clips of your core "aha" flow

And since Vorec produces a written guide alongside the video, one Codex-driven recording can yield both a demo and a doc.

Any coding agent, same flow

The CLI path isn't limited to Codex. Cursor's agent, OpenCode, your own scripts, CI pipelines — anything that can run a command can drive a Vorec recording. That's the real strength of the CLI being the universal interface: agent-driven demos aren't locked to one vendor's tool. Pick the agent you like; the recording flow is the same.

Getting started

Install the Vorec Recorder for macOS and sign in.
Set up `@vorec/cli` with your API key.
Build something with Codex, then ask it to record a demo via the CLI.
Review the raw take, let Vorec narrate it, and ship the result.

The free trial needs no credit card (current allowances on the pricing page) — enough to have Codex record and narrate your first demos before paying anything. Pricing after: Starter $9/mo, Pro $24/mo, Business $59/mo.

The bottom line

Agent-driven demo recording isn't a Claude-Code exclusive. Codex — and any coding agent that can run a command — drives the exact same flow through the Vorec CLI: a manifest describing the walkthrough, a real recording of your running app, your review of the raw take, then AI narration. Same engine, same quality, terminal-native. The agent that built your app can record its demo too.

Build it with Codex. Let Codex record it.

Have Codex record a real, narrated demo of your app via the Vorec CLI. Start your free trial, no card needed

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