Simplify auth flow and reconcile differences between ChatGPT and API Key auth (#3189)

This PR does the following:
* Adds the ability to paste or type an API key.
* Removes the `preferred_auth_method` config option. The last login
method is always persisted in auth.json, so this isn't needed.
* If OPENAI_API_KEY env variable is defined, the value is used to
prepopulate the new UI. The env variable is otherwise ignored by the
CLI.
* Adds a new MCP server entry point "login_api_key" so we can implement
this same API key behavior for the VS Code extension.
<img width="473" height="140" alt="Screenshot 2025-09-04 at 3 51 04 PM"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c11bbd5b-8a4d-4d71-90fd-34130460f9d9"
/>
<img width="726" height="254" alt="Screenshot 2025-09-04 at 3 51 32 PM"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/6cc76b34-309a-4387-acbc-15ee5c756db9"
/>

codex-rs/mcp-server/src/codex_message_processor.rs

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use codex_core::RolloutRecorder;
 use codex_core::SessionMeta;
 use codex_core::auth::CLIENT_ID;
 use codex_core::auth::get_auth_file;
+use codex_core::auth::login_with_api_key;
 use codex_core::auth::try_read_auth_json;
 use codex_core::config::Config;
 use codex_core::config::ConfigOverrides;
@@ -39,7 +40,6 @@ use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::ApplyPatchApprovalParams;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::ApplyPatchApprovalResponse;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::ArchiveConversationParams;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::ArchiveConversationResponse;
-use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::AuthMode;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::AuthStatusChangeNotification;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::ClientRequest;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::ConversationId;
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::InterruptConversationParams;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::InterruptConversationResponse;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::ListConversationsParams;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::ListConversationsResponse;
+use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::LoginApiKeyParams;
+use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::LoginApiKeyResponse;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::LoginChatGptCompleteNotification;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::LoginChatGptResponse;
 use codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::NewConversationParams;
@@ -172,6 +174,9 @@ impl CodexMessageProcessor {
             ClientRequest::GitDiffToRemote { request_id, params } => {
                 self.git_diff_to_origin(request_id, params.cwd).await;
             }
+            ClientRequest::LoginApiKey { request_id, params } => {
+                self.login_api_key(request_id, params).await;
+            }
             ClientRequest::LoginChatGpt { request_id } => {
                 self.login_chatgpt(request_id).await;
             }
@@ -199,6 +204,39 @@ impl CodexMessageProcessor {
         }
     }
 
+    async fn login_api_key(&mut self, request_id: RequestId, params: LoginApiKeyParams) {
+        {
+            let mut guard = self.active_login.lock().await;
+            if let Some(active) = guard.take() {
+                active.drop();
+            }
+        }
+
+        match login_with_api_key(&self.config.codex_home, &params.api_key) {
+            Ok(()) => {
+                self.auth_manager.reload();
+                self.outgoing
+                    .send_response(request_id, LoginApiKeyResponse {})
+                    .await;
+
+                let payload = AuthStatusChangeNotification {
+                    auth_method: self.auth_manager.auth().map(|auth| auth.mode),
+                };
+                self.outgoing
+                    .send_server_notification(ServerNotification::AuthStatusChange(payload))
+                    .await;
+            }
+            Err(err) => {
+                let error = JSONRPCErrorError {
+                    code: INTERNAL_ERROR_CODE,
+                    message: format!("failed to save api key: {err}"),
+                    data: None,
+                };
+                self.outgoing.send_error(request_id, error).await;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     async fn login_chatgpt(&mut self, request_id: RequestId) {
         let config = self.config.as_ref();
 
@@ -352,7 +390,7 @@ impl CodexMessageProcessor {
             .await;
 
         // Send auth status change notification reflecting the current auth mode
-        // after logout (which may fall back to API key via env var).
+        // after logout.
         let current_auth_method = self.auth_manager.auth().map(|auth| auth.mode);
         let payload = AuthStatusChangeNotification {
             auth_method: current_auth_method,
@@ -367,7 +405,6 @@ impl CodexMessageProcessor {
         request_id: RequestId,
         params: codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::GetAuthStatusParams,
     ) {
-        let preferred_auth_method: AuthMode = self.auth_manager.preferred_auth_method();
         let include_token = params.include_token.unwrap_or(false);
         let do_refresh = params.refresh_token.unwrap_or(false);
 
@@ -375,6 +412,11 @@ impl CodexMessageProcessor {
             tracing::warn!("failed to refresh token while getting auth status: {err}");
         }
 
+        // Determine whether auth is required based on the active model provider.
+        // If a custom provider is configured with `requires_openai_auth == false`,
+        // then no auth step is required; otherwise, default to requiring auth.
+        let requires_openai_auth = Some(self.config.model_provider.requires_openai_auth);
+
         let response = match self.auth_manager.auth() {
             Some(auth) => {
                 let (reported_auth_method, token_opt) = match auth.get_token().await {
@@ -390,14 +432,14 @@ impl CodexMessageProcessor {
                 };
                 codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::GetAuthStatusResponse {
                     auth_method: reported_auth_method,
-                    preferred_auth_method,
                     auth_token: token_opt,
+                    requires_openai_auth,
                 }
             }
             None => codex_protocol::mcp_protocol::GetAuthStatusResponse {
                 auth_method: None,
-                preferred_auth_method,
                 auth_token: None,
+                requires_openai_auth,
             },
         };
 

codex-rs/mcp-server/src/message_processor.rs

@@ -56,8 +56,7 @@ impl MessageProcessor {
         config: Arc<Config>,
     ) -> Self {
         let outgoing = Arc::new(outgoing);
-        let auth_manager =
-            AuthManager::shared(config.codex_home.clone(), config.preferred_auth_method);
+        let auth_manager = AuthManager::shared(config.codex_home.clone());
         let conversation_manager = Arc::new(ConversationManager::new(auth_manager.clone()));
         let codex_message_processor = CodexMessageProcessor::new(
             auth_manager,