Signs Codex may be stuck in a restart or context loop
Codex kept running for hours on a Shopify theme project without reaching a clear finish. The visible messages repeatedly said it was picking the work back up, checking the first, finishing the changes, or continuing from a clean restart point.
Tool activity such as reading files, searching code, and loading tools appeared, but there were no clear signs that files were changed, validation passed, or the task was completed. “Context automatically compacted” appeared more than once.
The likely possibilities are that Codex is genuinely still working, that it is stuck in a restart or context loop, or that it lost access to something it needs, such as , theme files, the local , or . The practical question is whether to keep waiting or stop before losing more time.
Key points
- Codex repeated similar restart and resume messages for hours.
- It showed file reading and code searching, but no clear file changes or completed validation.
- Repeated may be a sign that the task is cycling instead of finishing.
- Possible causes include a true long task, a restart loop, or lost access to and files.
- Progress should be judged by changed files, test results, and a clear message.