Universal AI Platform

Unifying the world’s most popular AI coding CLIs with Zencoder directly in your IDE

Universal AI Platform

Use your existing AI subscriptions (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini) inside Zencoder’s IDE interface. Switch between CLI runtimes without leaving your editor.

Available on all plans. See pricing for details.

What It Does

Zencoder acts as a host for external AI coding CLIs, giving them IDE integration, multi-repo context, custom agents, and Zen Rules. You pick the runtime; Zencoder provides the surrounding infrastructure.

Supported CLI Tools

Currently, Zencoder supports:

• Zen CLI - Zencoder’s native runtime
• Claude Code from Anthropic - Terminal-based agentic coding tool powered by Sonnet 4, Sonnet 4.5 Parallel Thinking, and Opus models
• OpenAI Codex - Command-line interface using GPT-5.1-Codex models

Gemini CLI support is coming soon.

Setup Instructions

Feature Availability: The Universal AI Platform is now available across all Zencoder supported IDEs. Available in VS Code with Zencoder extension version 2.38+ and JetBrains IDEs with version 2.16+. Please ensure you’re running the latest version of Zencoder to access these features.

Install Zencoder, install your preferred CLI tool, and select the runtime in Zencoder settings.

Connect Your CLI Tool

Claude Code

Claude Code is Anthropic’s terminal-based coding CLI. It uses Sonnet 4 and Opus 4.1 models to edit files, run tests, and manage Git operations via natural language.

Pricing: Claude Code is included with several Anthropic plans. See anthropic.com/claude-code for details.

Prerequisites:

• Node.js 18 or newer
• Claude subscription with Code access

1. Install Claude Code by Anthropic

   Visit Claude Code by Anthropic to learn more and choose a plan that includes Claude Code access.

2. Install Claude Code CLI

   Install the Claude Code command-line interface using npm:

   npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
   
3. Authenticate Claude Code

   Authenticate Claude Code by running the following command. You’ll be prompted to log in with your Claude account:

   claude
   
4. Select Claude Code as Your Runtime

   Once authenticated locally, return to Zencoder and select Claude Code as your runtime. In the chat box, click on the settings icon. Under the Agent CLI category, click on it and select Claude Code from the list of available CLIs (Zen CLI, Claude Code, or OpenAI Codex).

   

   If you haven’t authenticated before, you’ll see the following screens:

   You’ll be prompted to open terminal to login

   

   Select and authenticate with your Claude account that has an active subscription

   

   Follow the authorization instructions shown in the screens

   

   Once everything is done, you’ll see “Login successful, press Enter to continue”

   

   Finally, you’ll see the welcome screen confirming Claude Code is ready

   

Using Claude Code with Zencoder

Once setup is complete, you can use Claude Code just like any other Zencoder runtime. You can select the coding agent, or use custom agents from the model selector.

Example: Using the Review Agent with Claude Code to review the current file (august-2025.mdx). The agent executes commands and provides feedback just as it would with any other runtime.

All Zencoder features (custom agents, multi-repo context, Zen Rules) work with the Claude Code runtime.

OpenAI Codex

OpenAI Codex is OpenAI’s coding CLI using GPT-5.1-Codex models for code generation, explanation, and refactoring.

Pricing: Codex access is included with ChatGPT Plus and Team subscriptions. See OpenAI’s Codex docs for details.

Prerequisites:

• Node.js 18 or newer
• ChatGPT Plus, Team, or Enterprise subscription

1. Install OpenAI Codex

   Visit OpenAI Codex documentation to learn more and ensure your ChatGPT subscription includes Codex access.

2. Install Codex CLI

   Install the Codex command-line interface using npm:

   npm i -g @openai/codex
   
3. Authenticate OpenAI Codex

   Authenticate OpenAI Codex by running the following command. You’ll be prompted to sign in with your ChatGPT account or provide your own API key:

   codex
   
4. Select OpenAI Codex as Your Runtime

   Once authenticated locally, return to Zencoder and select OpenAI Codex as your runtime. In the chat box, click on the settings icon. Under the Agent CLI category, click on it and select OpenAI Codex from the list of available CLIs (Zen CLI, Claude Code, or OpenAI Codex).

   

   After you install Codex and run the codex command, you will be prompted to log in with the following screens:

   

   Sign in with your ChatGPT account or provide your own API key, then press Enter to continue

   After logging in, you will be presented with an option to sign into Codex with ChatGPT. Press Continue on this dialog:

   

   After completing the web authentication, you will be able to return to the terminal and see this green notification confirming you have been signed in with your ChatGPT account. Press Enter to continue and you should be all set up:

   

Using OpenAI Codex with Zencoder

Once setup is complete, you can use OpenAI Codex just like any other Zencoder runtime. You can select the coding agent, or use custom agents from the model selector.

All Zencoder features (custom agents, multi-repo context, Zen Rules) work with the Codex runtime.

Others

Gemini CLI and additional runtimes are coming soon.

What You Get

• Use existing subscriptions — no additional runtime cost; use your ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini plan
• IDE integration — CLI tools run inside VS Code / JetBrains instead of a separate terminal
• Switch runtimes — change the underlying model provider per chat
• Multi-repo context — agents see indexed repositories beyond the current project
• Custom agents and Zen Rules — team-wide agent configurations and coding standards apply regardless of runtime
• Analytics — usage tracking across all runtimes

Coming Soon

Local Model Support

Support for locally hosted models and self-hosted AI infrastructure is coming in future releases, enabling complete data sovereignty and offline development.

FAQ

Do I need to pay for Zencoder if I already have a ChatGPT/Claude subscription?

No! You can use Zencoder’s Universal CLI Platform for free with your existing subscription. You can check more about the plans and available features on our pricing page.

Can I switch between different CLI tools?

Yes! You can switch between Zen CLI, Claude Code, and OpenAI Codex at any time through the Agent CLI settings in the chat box. Simply click the settings icon and select a different CLI from the Agent CLI category.

Do I lose any features when using external CLIs?

No! You get all of Zencoder’s features (custom agents, multi-repo intelligence, etc.) regardless of which runtime you choose.

Is my code sent to Zencoder when using external CLIs?

When using external CLIs, your code is processed by your chosen provider (Anthropic, Google, or OpenAI). Zencoder only manages the IDE integration and enterprise features layer.

Can I use this with on-premise deployments?

Yes! Enterprise customers can deploy the entire stack on-premise or in a hybrid configuration. Contact [e-mail] for details.

Troubleshooting

Windows Installation Issues

If you encounter PowerShell execution policy errors while installing Claude Code or OpenAI Codex on Windows, check our troubleshooting guide for a quick fix.

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Zencoder is not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, or Microsoft. All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.