Codex now makes it easy to use command-style shortcuts for better AI results. No skills to install. No plugins to add.
Add one to your request, tell Codex what you want, and go. You can stack them too:
Use /research + /table: Compare Base44, Lovable, and Rork for a beginner who wants to build a mobile app.
Here are 69 worth saving.
GET A BETTER ANSWER
SHORTCUT 01: /promptengineer
Turns a vague request into a clearer prompt with the right context, constraints, and output format.
Example: /promptengineer: Improve this prompt: “Help me market my budgeting app.”
SHORTCUT 02: /expert
Asks ChatGPT to answer from the perspective of someone with deep experience in a specific field.
Example: /expert: Act as an experienced mobile app marketer and review my App Store launch plan.
SHORTCUT 03: /human
Makes stiff or robotic writing sound more natural and conversational.
Example: /human: Rewrite this welcome email so it sounds like I wrote it to one person.
SHORTCUT 04: /brief
Forces the answer to stay short and focused.
Example: /brief: Explain what an API is in three sentences.
SHORTCUT 05: /detailed
Asks for the complete version, including the important details that a short answer might skip.
Example: /detailed: Explain how to launch a simple iPhone app from idea to TestFlight.
SHORTCUT 06: /simplify
Takes something complicated and rewrites it in plain language.
Example: /simplify: Explain this software license so a non-technical founder can understand it.
SHORTCUT 07: /stepbystep
Breaks a task into a clear sequence you can follow.
Example: /stepbystep: Show me how to connect a custom domain to my website.
SHORTCUT 08: /examples
Adds practical examples so the idea is easier to understand and use.
Example: /examples: Show me five good onboarding messages for a new AI app.
SHORTCUT 09: /summarize
Pulls the main points out of a long article, transcript, document, or conversation.
Example: /summarize: Give me the five most important ideas from this transcript and one action for each.
SHORTCUT 10: /compare
Places two or more options side by side and explains the meaningful differences.
Example: /compare: Compare Lovable, Base44, and Replit for a beginner building a client portal.
RESEARCH AND THINK
SHORTCUT 11: /research
Creates a structured research plan and organizes what needs to be learned before reaching a conclusion.
Example: /research: Research the best AI tools for turning long videos into short clips. Include price, strengths, and limitations.
SHORTCUT 12: /brainstorm
Generates a wide range of ideas before you start filtering them.
Example: /brainstorm: Give me 20 simple AI app ideas for real estate agents.
SHORTCUT 13: /analyst
Looks for patterns, trends, gaps, and useful takeaways inside information or data.
Example: /analyst: Review these customer comments and group the complaints into the top five themes.
SHORTCUT 14: /critic
Looks for weaknesses, unclear thinking, and parts that are likely to fail.
Example: /critic: Tear apart this landing page. Tell me what is confusing, weak, or unbelievable.
SHORTCUT 15: /factcheck
Separates claims from facts and flags statements that need a reliable source.
Example: /factcheck: Review this AI news post and mark every claim that needs verification.
SHORTCUT 16: /verify
Creates a checklist for confirming whether an answer, claim, or source is trustworthy.
Example: /verify: Tell me how to verify whether this GitHub project is active, safe, and maintained.
SHORTCUT 17: /assumptions
Finds the hidden beliefs a plan depends on, especially the ones that may be wrong.
Example: /assumptions: List the assumptions behind my plan to charge $29 per month for this app.
SHORTCUT 18: /logic
Checks whether the reasoning makes sense from one step to the next.
Example: /logic: Check this argument for gaps, contradictions, and unsupported conclusions.
SHORTCUT 19: /rootcause
Pushes past the obvious symptom and searches for the underlying reason a problem keeps happening.
Example: /rootcause: My users sign up but never finish onboarding. Help me find the likely root causes.
SHORTCUT 20: /devilsadvocate
Argues the strongest case against your idea so you can test it before the real world does.
Example: /devilsadvocate: Make the best argument against launching this feature next week.
PLAN AND DECIDE
SHORTCUT 21: /strategy
Turns a goal into a longer-term approach with priorities and tradeoffs.
Example: /strategy: Create a six-month strategy for growing a practical AI newsletter from zero.
SHORTCUT 22: /decision
Helps you choose by defining the criteria, comparing the options, and making a recommendation.
Example: /decision: Help me choose between hiring a freelancer or using AI to build the first version.
SHORTCUT 23: /planner
Builds an actionable plan with clear tasks, timing, and dependencies.
Example: /planner: Create a two-week plan to turn my YouTube video into a guide, email, and five social posts.
SHORTCUT 24: /roadmap
Maps a larger goal into stages so you know what to build now and what can wait.
Example: /roadmap: Build a 90-day roadmap for launching a simple paid AI tool.
SHORTCUT 25: /action
Converts an idea or discussion into concrete next steps.
Example: /action: Turn these meeting notes into a numbered task list with an owner and deadline for each item.
SHORTCUT 26: /prioritize
Ranks tasks based on impact, urgency, effort, or another rule you choose.
Example: /prioritize: Rank these 15 product tasks by customer impact and development effort.
SHORTCUT 27: /focus
Identifies the one task or decision that matters most right now.
Example: /focus: I have three hours today and this task list. Tell me what to do first and why.
SHORTCUT 28: /productivity
Looks for wasted effort and suggests a cleaner way to organize the work.
Example: /productivity: Review my weekly workflow and show me what to delete, delegate, or automate.
SHORTCUT 29: /time
Turns a list of responsibilities into a realistic schedule.
Example: /time: Build a weekday schedule for running my business while protecting two hours for building.
SHORTCUT 30: /reverse
Starts with the result you want and works backward to the first action.
Example: /reverse: I want 100 paying users in 90 days. Work backward and show me the milestones.
WRITE AND EDIT
SHORTCUT 31: /copywriter
Writes marketing copy around a clear audience, problem, promise, and action.
Example: /copywriter: Write a landing-page hero for an AI tool that turns voice notes into project plans.
SHORTCUT 32: /editor
Improves clarity, flow, structure, and readability while protecting the original meaning.
Example: /editor: Edit this article so every section earns its place and the ideas flow naturally.
SHORTCUT 33: /proofread
Fixes spelling, grammar, punctuation, and obvious errors without rewriting your voice.
Example: /proofread: Fix the errors in this email, but do not change my tone.
SHORTCUT 34: /rewrite
Creates a cleaner version of the same message using better wording and structure.
Example: /rewrite: Rewrite this product description so a beginner understands it on the first read.
SHORTCUT 35: /concise
Removes repetition, filler, and unnecessary words.
Example: /concise: Cut this 400-word update to 150 words without losing the important details.
SHORTCUT 36: /tone
Adjusts how the message feels without changing what it says.
Example: /tone: Make this message direct, helpful, and confident without sounding aggressive.
SHORTCUT 37: /storyteller
Turns facts or events into a story with a setup, tension, change, and takeaway.
Example: /storyteller: Turn these build notes into a short story about what went wrong and what I learned.
SHORTCUT 38: /hook
Creates opening lines designed to make the right person stop and keep reading.
Example: /hook: Write 10 opening lines for a video about building an app with one prompt.
SHORTCUT 39: /headline
Generates clear titles with a strong promise or useful point of curiosity.
Example: /headline: Give me 15 newsletter titles for a guide to running AI models locally.
SHORTCUT 40: /email
Writes an email around one purpose and one next action.
Example: /email: Write a short welcome email for someone who just joined my free AI newsletter.
CREATE CONTENT
SHORTCUT 41: /viral
Looks for high-interest angles, strong hooks, and shareable framing. It cannot guarantee reach, but it can improve the idea.
Example: /viral: Give me 10 strong angles for a video about an AI tool that controls a computer.
SHORTCUT 42: /seo
Organizes an article around a real search question, related topics, and a useful answer.
Example: /seo: Create an outline for “how to build an app with AI” for complete beginners.
SHORTCUT 43: /caption
Writes a social caption with an opening, useful point, and clear next step.
Example: /caption: Write a short caption for a screen recording of my new AI scheduling app.
SHORTCUT 44: /linkedin
Shapes an idea for LinkedIn with a professional but personal voice.
Example: /linkedin: Turn this product lesson into a LinkedIn post without corporate language.
SHORTCUT 45: /instagram
Creates Instagram-ready captions, carousel structures, or Reel concepts.
Example: /instagram: Turn these five AI mistakes into a seven-slide carousel with a strong first slide.
SHORTCUT 46: /youtube
Develops video ideas, titles, outlines, and viewer-focused structure.
Example: /youtube: Build a 10-minute video outline showing how I made this app from scratch.
SHORTCUT 47: /reels
Generates short-form video ideas that can be explained or shown quickly.
Example: /reels: Give me 12 short video ideas using screen recordings of this AI website builder.
SHORTCUT 48: /script
Writes a spoken script with a clear opening, progression, and ending.
Example: /script: Write a 60-second script explaining why AI agents still need human approval.
SHORTCUT 49: /brand
Defines how a brand should sound, what it stands for, and what makes it recognizable.
Example: /brand: Create a simple voice guide for a practical AI brand that helps beginners build real things.
SHORTCUT 50: /content
Builds a content strategy around your audience, message, formats, and publishing rhythm.
Example: /content: Create a monthly content plan from one weekly YouTube video and one newsletter.
BUILD AND GROW A BUSINESS
SHORTCUT 51: /customer
Looks at an idea from the customer’s point of view instead of the creator’s.
Example: /customer: Review this onboarding flow as a busy real estate agent who has never used AI.
SHORTCUT 52: /audience
Clarifies who the message is for, what they care about, and what may stop them from acting.
Example: /audience: Analyze the audience for a beginner-friendly newsletter about building with AI.
SHORTCUT 53: /competitor
Compares competitors by their offer, audience, strengths, weaknesses, and positioning.
Example: /competitor: Compare the top five AI app builders and show me where a new product could stand out.
SHORTCUT 54: /market
Studies demand, customer problems, trends, and possible openings in a market.
Example: /market: Analyze the opportunity for an AI follow-up tool made for independent travel advisors.
SHORTCUT 55: /startup
Applies startup thinking to validate an idea, limit scope, and test demand quickly.
Example: /startup: Turn this app idea into the smallest useful version I could test in seven days.
SHORTCUT 56: /business
Develops the business model around the customer, value, revenue, costs, and delivery.
Example: /business: Create three simple business models for an AI research assistant for small agencies.
SHORTCUT 57: /pricing
Creates pricing options based on value, customer type, usage, and positioning.
Example: /pricing: Propose three pricing tiers for this app and explain who each tier is for.
SHORTCUT 58: /funnel
Maps the steps from first discovery to signup, purchase, and retention.
Example: /funnel: Build a simple funnel from YouTube video to free newsletter to paid AI community.
SHORTCUT 59: /growth
Finds realistic ways to improve acquisition, activation, retention, or referrals.
Example: /growth: Give me five low-cost experiments to get the first 100 active users for my app.
SHORTCUT 60: /offer
Packages the result, audience, proof, price, and risk reduction into a clearer offer.
Example: /offer: Improve this offer for a service that builds an AI workflow for local businesses in seven days.
BUILD, FIX, AND FORMAT
SHORTCUT 61: /solution
Generates practical ways to solve a defined problem and explains the tradeoffs.
Example: /solution: Give me three realistic ways to stop users from abandoning this signup form.
SHORTCUT 62: /alternative
Suggests different approaches when the obvious answer is expensive, slow, or risky.
Example: /alternative: Give me five cheaper alternatives to building a custom mobile app first.
SHORTCUT 63: /optimize
Improves an existing process, prompt, page, or workflow instead of starting over.
Example: /optimize: Improve this onboarding sequence for speed and completion rate.
SHORTCUT 64: /automate
Finds repeatable steps that a tool or workflow could handle automatically.
Example: /automate: Show me which parts of this weekly content process can be automated and which should stay human.
SHORTCUT 65: /template
Turns a one-time result into a reusable structure with placeholders.
Example: /template: Turn this project brief into a reusable template for future app builds.
SHORTCUT 66: /checklist
Creates a practical list for completing or reviewing a task without missing important steps.
Example: /checklist: Create a pre-launch checklist for an AI-powered web app.
SHORTCUT 67: /framework
Organizes a messy subject into a repeatable way of thinking or working.
Example: /framework: Build a simple framework for deciding whether an AI tool is worth paying for.
SHORTCUT 68: /table
Formats information into rows and columns so it is easier to scan and compare.
Example: /table: Compare these five AI video tools by price, best use, learning curve, and limitations.
SHORTCUT 69: /json
Returns the answer as structured data that an app, automation, or developer can use.
Example: /json: Turn these customer records into JSON with name, email, plan, and signup date.
THE BOTTOM LINE
You do not need to memorize all 69 shortcuts. Pick the one that helps with the job in front of you, give it real context, and save the ones that consistently make your work faster. The shortcut gets you started; the detail you add is what makes the result useful.
If you want to go a step further and build alongside 600+ other AI builders, you are always welcome to join us inside AI Builders.