Description of Business	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description of Business	Description of Business In these notes to the consolidated financial statements, the "Company," "we," "us," and "our" refers to Codexis, Inc. and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. We discover, develop and sell proteins that deliver value to our clients in a growing set of industries. We view proteins as a vast untapped source of value-creating materials, and we are using our proven technologies, which we have been continuously improving over our sixteen-year history, to commercialize an increasing number of novel proteins, both as proprietary Codexis products and in partnership with our customers. We are a pioneer in the harnessing of computational technologies to drive biology advancements. Since our inception in 2002, we have made substantial investments in the development of our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform, the primary source of our competitive advantage. Our technology platform is powered by proprietary, artificial intelligence-based, computational algorithms that rapidly mine our large and continuously growing library of protein variants’ performance attributes. These computational outputs enable increasingly reliable predictions for next generation protein variants to be engineered, enabling delivery of targeted performance enhancements in a time-efficient manner. In addition to its computational prowess, our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform integrates additional modular competencies, including robotic high-throughput screening and genomic sequencing, organic chemistry and process development, which are all coordinated to create our novel protein innovations. Our approach to develop commercially viable biocatalytic manufacturing processes begins by conceptually designing the most cost-effective and practical process for a targeted product. We then develop optimized protein catalysts to enable that process design, using our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering platform technology. Engineered protein catalyst candidates - many thousands for each protein engineering project - are then rapidly screened and validated in high throughput under relevant manufacturing operating conditions. This approach results in an optimized protein catalyst enabling cost-efficient processes that typically are relatively simple to run in conventional manufacturing equipment. This also allows for the efficient technical transfer of our process to our manufacturing partners. The successful embodiment of our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform in commercial manufacturing processes requires well-integrated expertise in a number of technical disciplines. In addition to those directly involved in practicing our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering platform technology, such as molecular biology, enzymology, microbiology, cellular engineering, metabolic engineering, bioinformatics, biochemistry and high throughput analytical chemistry, our process development projects also involve integrated expertise in organic chemistry, chemical process development, chemical engineering, fermentation process development and fermentation engineering. Our integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to biocatalyst and process development is a critical success factor for our company. We initially commercialized our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform and products in the pharmaceuticals market, which remains our primary business focus. Our customers, which include several large global pharmaceutical companies, use our technology, products and services in their manufacturing processes and process development. We have also used the technology to develop protein catalysts for use in the fine chemicals market. The fine chemicals market consists of several large market verticals, including food and food ingredients, animal feed, flavors, fragrances and agricultural chemicals. More recently, we are also using the CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform to develop early stage, novel biotherapeutic product candidates, both for our customers and for our own business, most notably our lead program for the potential treatment of phenylketonuria ("PKU") disease in humans. PKU is an inherited metabolic disorder in which the enzyme that converts the essential amino acid phenylalanine into tyrosine is deficient. In October 2017, we entered into a Global Development, Option and License Agreement (the "Nestlé Agreement") with Nestec Ltd. ("Nestlé Health Science") and, solely for the purpose of the integration and the dispute resolution clauses of the Agreement, Nestlé Health Science S.A., to advance CDX-6114, our enzyme biotherapeutic product candidate for the potential treatment of PKU disease. We have also used our technology to develop an enzyme for customers using next generation sequencing ("NGS") and polymerase chain reaction ("PCR/qPCR") for in vitro molecular diagnostic and genomic research applications. Below are brief descriptions of our business segments (See Note 13, "Segment, Geographical and Other Revenue Information"): Performance Enzymes We initially commercialized our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform and products in the pharmaceuticals market, and to date this continues to be our largest market served. Our customers, which include many large global pharmaceutical companies, use our technology, products and services in their manufacturing processes and process development. We have also used the technology to develop customized enzymes for use in other industrial markets. These markets consists of several large industrial verticals, including food and food ingredients, animal feed, flavors, fragrances, and agricultural chemicals. We have also used our technology to develop an enzyme for customers using NGS and PCR/qPCR for in vitro molecular diagnostic and molecular biology research applications. Novel Biotherapeutics We are also targeting new opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry to discover, improve and/or develop biotherapeutic drug candidates. We believe that our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering platform technology can be used to discover novel biotherapeutic drug candidates that will target human diseases that are in need of improved therapeutic interventions. Similarly, we believe that we can deploy our platform technology to improve specific characteristics of a customer’s pre-existing biotherapeutic drug candidate, such as its activity, stability or immunogenicity. Most notable is our lead program for the potential treatment of PKU in humans. PKU is an inherited metabolic disorder in which the enzyme that converts the essential amino acid phenylalanine into tyrosine is deficient. In October 2017, we announced a strategic collaboration with Nestec Ltd. ("Nestlé Health Science") to advance CDX-6114, our own novel orally administrable enzyme therapeutic candidate for the potential treatment of PKU disease. We have also developed a pipeline of other biotherapeutic drug candidates in which we expect to continue to make additional investments with the aim of advancing additional product candidates targeting other therapeutic areas.

Description of Business

In these notes to the consolidated financial statements, the "Company," "we," "us," and "our" refers to Codexis, Inc. and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

We discover, develop and sell proteins that deliver value to our clients in a growing set of industries. We view proteins as a vast untapped source of value-creating materials, and we are using our proven technologies, which we have been continuously improving over our sixteen-year history, to commercialize an increasing number of novel proteins, both as proprietary Codexis products and in partnership with our customers.

We are a pioneer in the harnessing of computational technologies to drive biology advancements. Since our inception in 2002, we have made substantial investments in the development of our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform, the primary source of our competitive advantage. Our technology platform is powered by proprietary, artificial intelligence-based, computational algorithms that rapidly mine our large and continuously growing library of protein variants’ performance attributes. These computational outputs enable increasingly reliable predictions for next generation protein variants to be engineered, enabling delivery of targeted performance enhancements in a time-efficient manner. In addition to its computational prowess, our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform integrates additional modular competencies, including robotic high-throughput screening and genomic sequencing, organic chemistry and process development, which are all coordinated to create our novel protein innovations.

Our approach to develop commercially viable biocatalytic manufacturing processes begins by conceptually designing the most cost-effective and practical process for a targeted product. We then develop optimized protein catalysts to enable that process design, using our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering platform technology. Engineered protein catalyst candidates - many thousands for each protein engineering project - are then rapidly screened and validated in high throughput under relevant manufacturing operating conditions. This approach results in an optimized protein catalyst enabling cost-efficient processes that typically are relatively simple to run in conventional manufacturing equipment. This also allows for the efficient technical transfer of our process to our manufacturing partners.

The successful embodiment of our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform in commercial manufacturing processes requires well-integrated expertise in a number of technical disciplines. In addition to those directly involved in practicing our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering platform technology, such as molecular biology, enzymology, microbiology, cellular engineering, metabolic engineering, bioinformatics, biochemistry and high throughput analytical chemistry, our process development projects also involve integrated expertise in organic chemistry, chemical process development, chemical engineering, fermentation process development and fermentation engineering. Our integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to biocatalyst and process development is a critical success factor for our company.

We initially commercialized our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform and products in the pharmaceuticals market, which remains our primary business focus. Our customers, which include several large global pharmaceutical companies, use our technology, products and services in their manufacturing processes and process development.

We have also used the technology to develop protein catalysts for use in the fine chemicals market. The fine chemicals market consists of several large market verticals, including food and food ingredients, animal feed, flavors, fragrances and agricultural chemicals.

More recently, we are also using the CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform to develop early stage, novel biotherapeutic product candidates, both for our customers and for our own business, most notably our lead program for the potential treatment of phenylketonuria ("PKU") disease in humans. PKU is an inherited metabolic disorder in which the enzyme that converts the essential amino acid phenylalanine into tyrosine is deficient. In October 2017, we entered into a Global Development, Option and License Agreement (the "Nestlé Agreement") with Nestec Ltd. ("Nestlé Health Science") and, solely for the purpose of the integration and the dispute resolution clauses of the Agreement, Nestlé Health Science S.A., to advance CDX-6114, our enzyme biotherapeutic product candidate for the potential treatment of PKU disease.

We have also used our technology to develop an enzyme for customers using next generation sequencing ("NGS") and polymerase chain reaction ("PCR/qPCR") for in vitro molecular diagnostic and genomic research applications.

Below are brief descriptions of our business segments (See Note 13, "Segment, Geographical and Other Revenue Information"):

Performance Enzymes

We initially commercialized our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering technology platform and products in the pharmaceuticals market, and to date this continues to be our largest market served. Our customers, which include many large global pharmaceutical companies, use our technology, products and services in their manufacturing processes and process development. We have also used the technology to develop customized enzymes for use in other industrial markets. These markets consists of several large industrial verticals, including food and food ingredients, animal feed, flavors, fragrances, and agricultural chemicals. We have also used our technology to develop an enzyme for customers using NGS and PCR/qPCR for in vitro molecular diagnostic and molecular biology research applications.

Novel Biotherapeutics

We are also targeting new opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry to discover, improve and/or develop biotherapeutic drug candidates. We believe that our CodeEvolver^® protein engineering platform technology can be used to discover novel biotherapeutic drug candidates that will target human diseases that are in need of improved therapeutic interventions. Similarly, we believe that we can deploy our platform technology to improve specific characteristics of a customer’s pre-existing biotherapeutic drug candidate, such as its activity, stability or immunogenicity. Most notable is our lead program for the potential treatment of PKU in humans. PKU is an inherited metabolic disorder in which the enzyme that converts the essential amino acid phenylalanine into tyrosine is deficient. In October 2017, we announced a strategic collaboration with Nestec Ltd. ("Nestlé Health Science") to advance CDX-6114, our own novel orally administrable enzyme therapeutic candidate for the potential treatment of PKU disease. We have also developed a pipeline of other biotherapeutic drug candidates in which we expect to continue to make additional investments with the aim of advancing additional product candidates targeting other therapeutic areas.