AI Code Tools Week 13: Plugin Workflows & Custom Shortcuts

## TL;DR 🎯 - **OpenAI Codex CLI** now treats plugins as first-class workflows with better auth/setup handling - **Gemini CLI** added customizable keyboard shortcuts while Claude Code focused on API session tracking improvements ## This Week's Releases ### Claude Code (5 releases) Steady maintenance week with v2.1.87 through v2.1.83. Key fixes include Cowork Dispatch message delivery and new `X-Claude-Code-Session-Id` header for better proxy request aggregation. Also expanded VCS exclusions to include `.jj` and `.sl` files. ### Gemini CLI (4 releases) Rolled v0.35.0 through v0.35.3 with the standout feature being **customizable keyboard shortcuts** in v0.35.0. Mostly patch releases after that, including cherry-picked fixes and standard maintenance updates. ### OpenAI Codex CLI (1 release) Big update with rust-v0.117.0 introducing **first-class plugin workflows**. Codex can now sync product-scoped plugins at startup, browse them via `/plugins`, and handle installation/removal with cleaner auth flows. ### MCP Tools (2 releases) Versions v1.0.12 and v1.0.11 focused on foundational fixes: MCP servers now start correctly from git root when defined in `.mcp.json`, plus Windows clipboard improvements and better model picker display with policy warning support. ## Highlight Deep Dive 🔍 **OpenAI Codex's plugin workflow overhaul** is the week's biggest feature. This isn't just about installing plugins anymore—it's about making them core to your development workflow. The new system handles product-scoped plugin syncing automatically at startup, gives you a dedicated `/plugins` browser interface, and streamlines the whole auth/setup process that was previously clunky. For teams using Codex in production, this could significantly reduce plugin management overhead. ## Quick Stats 📊 - **Total releases:** 12 (down from 17 last week) - **Velocity trend:** -29% week-over-week - **Biggest mover:** OpenAI Codex CLI with major plugin workflow improvements - **Most active:**