Why AI Coding Agents Fail Without a Harness: Claude Code vs. Codex Control Philosophy

Why AI Coding Agents Fail Without a Harness: Claude Code vs. Codex Engineering Philosophy Anyone who has used AI to write code knows the typical cycle: initial awe at its capabilities, followed by a cold sweat when it secretly deletes files, alters configurations, or wrecks the Git history. At this point, you might think the solution is simply to use a smarter model. Two detailed engineering analyses on AI coding systems—specifically looking at Claude Code and Codex—suggest the exact opposite. The core problem is not model intelligence. The real issue is whether you have strapped a strong enough restraint system …