Record App Demos with Codex (Agent-Driven)
Vorec Team · 2026-06-09 · 10 min read
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) plus the Vorec Agent API. 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 talks to the Vorec Recorder (the macOS capture engine) and the Vorec Agent API:
- 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's AI detects every action, writes the script, and generates 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 includes 200 credits — 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 free with 200 credits