# How to Install and Use i‑have‑adhd with Codex: A Complete Guide

> Install and use i-have-adhd with Codex. Follow our complete guide to add, install, and activate this ADHD friendly plugin for a better coding experience. Learn more now.

- Repository: [Ayoub Ghriss/i-have-adhd](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-08-02

---

**To use the i‑have‑adhd plugin with Codex, add it from the marketplace with `codex plugin marketplace add ayghri/i-have-adhd --ref main`, install it locally with `codex plugin add i‑have‑adhd@i‑have‑adhd`, then activate the ADHD‑friendly output style by typing `$i‑have‑adhd` in any Codex session.**

The **i‑have‑adhd** plugin is an **Agent Skills** extension that reshapes LLM output for readers with ADHD. Since Codex ships with implicit skill invocation enabled, you can use this plugin directly from the command line without additional configuration.

## Installing i‑have‑adhd in Codex

### Step 1: Add the Plugin to the Marketplace

Fetch the plugin from GitHub and register it with Codex. The `--ref main` flag ensures you pull the default branch:

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

```

### Step 2: Install the Skill Locally

Register the skill in your local Codex environment. The format `i‑have‑adhd@i‑have‑adhd` matches the plugin name defined in `skills/i‑have‑adhd/SKILL.md`:

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

```

### Step 3: Verify Installation

Confirm the plugin appears in your installed skills:

```bash
codex plugin list

```

## Using the i‑have‑adhd Skill

### Activate ADHD‑Friendly Output

Once installed, toggle the output style by invoking the skill with a **dollar‑sign prefix**:

```bash
$i-have-adhd

```

The skill stays **active for the current session**. Codex will now follow **10 ADHD‑optimized formatting rules**, including leading with the answer, numbering multi‑step work, and eliminating preambles and recaps.

### Deactivate the Skill

Return to normal output by issuing either command:

```bash
stop adhd mode

```

Or:

```bash
normal mode

```

Codex confirms deactivation with a status message showing `step 3 of 5 done`.

## How the Skill Works Under the Hood

The i‑have‑adhd plugin relies on **declarative skill files** that Codex auto‑loads. Here is the architecture as implemented in `ayghri/i‑have‑adhd`:

| Component | Purpose | Source File |
|-----------|---------|-------------|
| **Skill definition** | Declares the plugin name, description, and 10 ADHD output rules | [[`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/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)](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/plugin.json) |
| **Installation instructions** | User commands for Codex, Claude Code, and other agents | [[`INSTALL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/INSTALL.md)](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/INSTALL.md) |
| **Documentation** | Quick‑start guide and overview | [[`README.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/README.md)](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/README.md) |

Codex automatically loads every `*.md` file under the repository's `skills/` directory. The `disable-model-invocation: true` flag in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/SKILL.md) prevents auto‑application; Codex only activates the rules when you explicitly invoke `$i‑have‑adhd`.

## Optional: Always‑On Configuration

To enable ADHD‑friendly output **by default** in every Codex session, add the rules to your user‑wide agent configuration:

1. Open or create `~/.codex/AGENTS.md`
2. Paste the output style rules from [`INSTALL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/INSTALL.md)

This bypasses manual `$i‑have‑adhd` invocation. See the **Always‑on (optional)** section in [`INSTALL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/INSTALL.md) for the exact 10‑rule block.

## Complete Installation and Usage Example

```bash

# 1. Add to marketplace

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

# 2. Install locally

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

# 3. Verify installation

codex plugin list

# 4. Activate for current session

$i-have-adhd

# 5. Use Codex with ADHD‑optimized output

What are the steps to set up a Docker container for a Node.js app?

# 6. Return to normal mode when finished

stop adhd mode

```

## Summary

- **Install** with two commands: `marketplace add` then `plugin add`
- **Activate** per session with `$i‑have‑adhd`
- **Deactivate** with `stop adhd mode` or `normal mode`
- **Enable always‑on** by copying rules to `~/.codex/AGENTS.md`
- The core rules live in `skills/i‑have‑adhd/SKILL.md`, which Codex parses automatically

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is i‑have‑adhd and who is it for?

i‑have‑adhd is an **Agent Skills plugin** that reformats LLM responses for readers with ADHD. It enforces 10 structural rules—such as leading with actionable answers, numbering steps, and removing fluff—that make long outputs easier to parse and act on.

### Does i‑have‑adhd work with Claude Code or other agents?

Yes. The plugin follows the **Agent Skills** specification, so it works with any compatible agent. However, **activation differs by platform**: Claude Code requires manual application of the rules, while Codex supports the `$i‑have‑adhd` toggle command due to its implicit invocation feature.

### Where does Codex load the skill rules from?

Codex loads the skill from **`skills/i‑have‑adhd/SKILL.md`** in the repository root. This file contains the YAML frontmatter with `disable-model-invocation: true` and the 10 markdown rules that define ADHD‑friendly formatting.

### Can I make i‑have‑adhd active in every Codex session?

Yes. Copy the output style rules from [`INSTALL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/INSTALL.md) into **`~/.codex/AGENTS.md`** (or any [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) that Codex scans). This applies the ADHD formatting by default without requiring the `$i‑have‑adhd` command.