While financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, the acquisition is expected to integrate Astral’s suite of developer-focused tools into OpenAI’s coding platform, Codex, strengthening its capabilities for software engineering workflows.
The move comes as competition intensifies in the AI coding space, particularly with rival Anthropic gaining momentum among developers through its Claude Code offering. OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, has been ramping up efforts to capture a larger share of this segment since launching Codex last year.
Earlier this year, the company also introduced a desktop application for its coding tools, signaling a broader push to make its AI products more accessible and integrated into developers’ daily environments.
OpenAI revealed that Codex now has more than 2 million weekly active users, reflecting rapid growth. According to the company, that figure represents a threefold increase in users and a fivefold surge in overall usage since the start of the year.
Astral, which has built a strong reputation within the Python ecosystem, develops tools aimed at improving the speed, efficiency, and reliability of Python programming. Its technology is widely used by developers seeking optimized workflows and performance enhancements.
Astral founder and CEO Charlie Marsh said the company’s open-source projects will continue to be supported following the acquisition, suggesting continuity for its existing user base.
The deal underscores OpenAI’s broader strategy to expand its developer ecosystem and reinforce its position in a competitive landscape increasingly defined by AI-assisted coding platforms.