Codex Desktop: document/project-config workaround for local Boost MCP when explicit cwd is required

[bjoernzosel]

Summary

This is probably not a Laravel Boost server bug, but it does look like a Boost installation / documentation UX gap for Codex Desktop.

In my setup, Laravel Boost MCP was not exposed in Codex Desktop initially, even though the Boost MCP server itself was valid and startable.

What fixed it for me was adding a project-local .codex/config.toml with:

• an explicit cwd
• an absolute PHP path

Example:

[mcp_servers.laravel-boost]
command = "/absolute/path/to/php"
args = ["artisan", "boost:mcp"]
cwd = "/absolute/path/to/project"
enabled = true

Why I am opening this in Boost

The root cause appears more likely to be on the Codex Desktop side (MCP config / workspace startup context), and I have already opened a Codex issue for that.

However, from a Laravel Boost user perspective, this still creates a practical problem:

• Boost is installed
• Boost MCP is configured
• CLI usage may work
• but Codex Desktop may still require a manual project-local override before the MCP tools are actually exposed

So it may be worth improving Boost in one of these ways:

• document this workaround explicitly for Codex Desktop
• make boost:install / boost:update generate a more robust Codex project config when appropriate
• document when explicit cwd and/or an absolute PHP path may be required

Environment

• Laravel Boost: 2.2.2
• Laravel: 12.53.0
• PHP: 8.4.18
• Platform: macOS
• Agent: Codex Desktop app 26.309.31024 (962)

Additional context

Related Boost discussions:

• New Codex app having trouble with MCP? #515
• Laravel Boost MCP not detected by OpenAI Codex on Windows #631
• Add configurable Codex MCP cwd #642

Related Codex issue:

• Desktop app does not expose local stdio MCP server until cwd is set explicitly openai/codex#14449