How to Configure i-have-adhd for Codex: Step-by-Step Installation and Usage Guide

You can configure i-have-adhd for Codex by adding the skill from the marketplace with codex plugin marketplace add ayghri/i-have-adhd --ref main, installing it locally with codex plugin add i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd, then activating it per-session via $i-have-adhd or globally through your ~/.codex/AGENTS.md file.

i-have-adhd is an Agent Skills plugin that reshapes LLM output for readers with ADHD, providing structured, actionable responses without fluff. This guide walks through the complete configure i-have-adhd for Codex process, referencing the actual source files and commands from the ayghri/i-have-adhd repository.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, verify that Codex CLI is installed and functional. The plugin uses the Agent Skills specification, and Codex ships with implicit invocation enabled by default—no additional configuration needed for basic skill support.

Step 1: Add the Skill to the Codex Marketplace

First, register the plugin with Codex's marketplace. The --ref main flag ensures you fetch the default branch as specified in [INSTALL.md](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/INSTALL.md):

codex plugin marketplace add ayghri/i-have-adhd --ref main

This command downloads the repository and makes the skill available for local installation.

Step 2: Install the Skill Locally

Activate the skill in your Codex environment:

codex plugin add i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd

Verification (optional):

codex plugin list

You should see i-have-adhd in the output, confirming successful installation.

Step 3: Activate the ADHD-Friendly Output Style

Per-Session Activation

Toggle the style for your current Codex session using the dollar-sign prefix:

$i-have-adhd

The skill remains active until you issue either stop adhd mode or normal mode.

Always-On Configuration

To configure i-have-adhd for Codex permanently across all sessions, add the rule set to your user-wide configuration file at ~/.codex/AGENTS.md (or any AGENTS.md that Codex scans). Per the [INSTALL.md](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/INSTALL.md) Always-on (optional) section:

## Output style

The reader has ADHD. Shape every response so it can be acted on:
1. Lead with the answer or next action.
2. Number multi-step work.
3. Break long text into bullets.
4. Use bold for key terms.
5. One idea per paragraph.
6. Skip the backstory.
7. Delete unnecessary words.
8. Use active voice.
9. Offer a single next step.
10. No preamble, no recaps, no closers.

Codex automatically loads this on startup, applying the ADHD-friendly rules to every interaction.

How the Skill Works Under the Hood

Component	Purpose	Key File
Skill definition	Declares the 10 ADHD output rules parsed by Codex at startup	[skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md)
Plugin metadata	Version, author, and marketplace information	[plugin.json](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/plugin.json)
Installation docs	User-facing commands and configuration options	[INSTALL.md](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/INSTALL.md)
Project overview	Quick-start and high-level description	[README.md](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/README.md)

The skill file is a plain Markdown/YAML hybrid that Codex discovers automatically—it loads all *.md files under the skills/ directory. Notably, SKILL.md contains disable-model-invocation: true, which prevents Claude Code from auto-applying the rules; Codex respects this flag and only activates the skill via explicit $i-have-adhd invocation or your AGENTS.md configuration.

Complete Working Example

# Install from marketplace

codex plugin marketplace add ayghri/i-have-adhd --ref main

# Add to local environment

codex plugin add i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd

# Verify installation

codex plugin list

# Activate for current session

$i-have-adhd

# Example query—output will be ADHD-structured

How do I set environment variables in a Docker Compose file?

# Deactivate when finished

stop adhd mode

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Skill not appearing in codex plugin list	Re-run codex plugin add i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd and check for error messages
Rules not applying after $i-have-adhd	Confirm you're using Codex (not Claude Code), which handles skill invocation differently
Always-on mode not working	Verify ~/.codex/AGENTS.md exists and Codex is loading from that path

Summary

• Marketplace registration: codex plugin marketplace add ayghri/i-have-adhd --ref main
• Local installation: codex plugin add i-have-adhd@i-have-adhd
• Session toggle: $i-have-adhd to activate, stop adhd mode to deactivate
• Permanent configuration: Copy the 10 rules into ~/.codex/AGENTS.md
• Core file: [skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) defines the complete rule set

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use i-have-adhd with Claude Code instead of Codex?

No. The SKILL.md file explicitly sets disable-model-invocation: true, which prevents Claude Code from auto-applying these rules. Codex is the intended runtime for this plugin.

Where does Codex look for the always-on AGENTS.md file?

Codex scans ~/.codex/AGENTS.md for user-wide configuration, plus any AGENTS.md in your current working directory or parent directories. Place your permanent ADHD rules in the user file for global effect.

What happens if I run $i-have-adhd twice?

Running the command again has no additional effect—the skill is already active. You must explicitly issue stop adhd mode or normal mode to clear the rules from your session.

Do I need to reinstall the skill after updating Codex?

No. Once added via codex plugin marketplace add, the skill persists across Codex updates. Run codex plugin update i-have-adhd only when you want to pull newer versions from the repository.

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