⚒️ Forge: AI-Enhanced Terminal Development Environment

A comprehensive coding agent that integrates AI capabilities with your development environment

npx forgecode@latest


!Code-Forge Demo

---

Table of Contents

- Quickstart
- Usage Examples
- Why Forge?
- Command-Line Options
- Advanced Configuration
- Provider Configuration
- Managing Provider Credentials
- Deprecated: Environment Variables
- forge.yaml Configuration Options
- Environment Variables
- MCP Configuration
- Example Use Cases
- Usage in Multi-Agent Workflows
- Documentation
- Troubleshooting
- Linux glibc Compatibility Issues
- The musl binary has fewer system dependencies and should work on most Linux systems regardless of glibc version.
- Community
- Support Us
- License

---

Quickstart

To get started with Forge, run the command below:

``bash
npx forgecode@latest
`

On first run, Forge will guide you through setting up your AI provider credentials using the interactive login flow. Alternatively, you can configure providers beforehand:

`bash


Configure your provider credentials interactively

forge provider login

Then start Forge

forge
`

That's it! Forge is now ready to assist you with your development tasks.

Usage Examples

Forge can be used in different ways depending on your needs. Here are some common usage patterns:

Code Understanding

`
> Can you explain how the authentication system works in this codebase?
`

Forge will analyze your project's structure, identify authentication-related files, and provide a detailed explanation of the authentication flow, including the relationships between different components.

Implementing New Features

`
> I need to add a dark mode toggle to our React application. How should I approach this?
`

Forge will suggest the best approach based on your current codebase, explain the steps needed, and even scaffold the necessary components and styles for you.

Debugging Assistance

`
> I'm getting this error: "TypeError: Cannot read property 'map' of undefined". What might be causing it?
`

Forge will analyze the error, suggest potential causes based on your code, and propose different solutions to fix the issue.

Code Reviews

`
> Please review the code in src/components/UserProfile.js and suggest improvements
`

Forge will analyze the code, identify potential issues, and suggest improvements for readability, performance, security, and maintainability.

Learning New Technologies

`
> I want to integrate GraphQL into this Express application. Can you explain how to get started?
`

Forge will provide a tailored tutorial on integrating GraphQL with Express, using your specific project structure as context.

Database Schema Design

`
> I need to design a database schema for a blog with users, posts, comments, and categories
`

Forge will suggest an appropriate schema design, including tables/collections, relationships, indexes, and constraints based on your project's existing database technology.

Refactoring Legacy Code

`
> Help me refactor this class-based component to use React Hooks
`

Forge can help modernize your codebase by walking you through refactoring steps and implementing them with your approval.

Git Operations

`
> I need to merge branch 'feature/user-profile' into main but there are conflicts
`

Forge can guide you through resolving git conflicts, explaining the differences and suggesting the best way to reconcile them.

Why Forge?

Forge is designed for developers who want to enhance their workflow with AI assistance while maintaining full control over their development environment.

- Zero configuration - Just add your API key and you're ready to go
- Seamless integration - Works right in your terminal, where you already work
- Multi-provider support - Use OpenAI, Anthropic, or other LLM providers
- Secure by design - Your code stays on your machine
- Open-source - Transparent, extensible, and community-driven

Forge helps you code faster, solve complex problems, and learn new technologies without leaving your terminal.

Command-Line Options

Here's a quick reference of Forge's command-line options:

| Option | Description |
| ------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| -p, --prompt | Direct prompt to process without entering interactive mode |
| -c, --command | Path to a file containing initial commands to execute |
| -w, --workflow | Path to a file containing the workflow to execute |
| -e, --event | Dispatch an event to the workflow |
| --conversation | Path to a file containing the conversation to execute |
| -r, --restricted | Enable restricted shell mode for enhanced security |
| --verbose | Enable verbose output mode |
| -h, --help | Print help information |
| -V, --version | Print version |

Advanced Configuration

$3

Forge supports multiple AI providers. The recommended way to configure providers is using the interactive login command:

`bash
forge provider login
`

This will:

1. Show you a list of available providers
2. Guide you through entering the required credentials

#### Managing Provider Credentials

`bash


Login to a provider (add or update credentials)

forge provider login

Remove provider credentials

forge provider logout

List supported providers

forge provider list
`

#### Deprecated: Environment Variables

> ⚠️ DEPRECATED: Using .env files for provider configuration is deprecated and will be removed in a future version. Please use forge provider login instead.

For backward compatibility, Forge still supports environment variables. On first run, any credentials found in environment variables will be automatically migrated to file-based storage.

Legacy Environment Variable Setup (Deprecated)

OpenRouter

`bash


.env


OPENROUTER_API_KEY=
`

Requesty

`bash


.env


REQUESTY_API_KEY=
`

x-ai

`bash


.env


XAI_API_KEY=
`

z.ai

`bash


.env

ZAI_API_KEY=

Or for coding plan subscription

ZAI_CODING_API_KEY=
`

Cerebras

`bash


.env


CEREBRAS_API_KEY=
`

IO Intelligence

`bash


.env


IO_INTELLIGENCE_API_KEY=
`

`yaml


forge.yaml


model: meta-llama/Llama-3.3-70B-Instruct
`

OpenAI

`bash


.env


OPENAI_API_KEY=
`

`yaml


forge.yaml


model: o3-mini-high
`

Anthropic

`bash


.env


ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=
`

`yaml


forge.yaml


model: claude-3.7-sonnet
`

Google Vertex AI

Setup Instructions:

1. Install Google Cloud CLI and authenticate:

`bash
gcloud auth login
gcloud config set project YOUR_PROJECT_ID
`

2. Get your authentication token:

`bash
gcloud auth print-access-token
`

3. Use the token when logging in via Forge:

`bash
forge provider login
# Select Google Vertex AI and enter your credentials
`

Legacy .env setup:

`bash


.env


PROJECT_ID=
LOCATION=
VERTEX_AI_AUTH_TOKEN=
`

`yaml


forge.yaml


model: google/gemini-2.5-pro
`

Available Models:
- Claude models: claude-sonnet-4@20250514
- Gemini models: gemini-2.5-pro, gemini-2.0-flash

Use the /model command in Forge CLI to see all available models.

OpenAI-Compatible Providers

`bash


.env


OPENAI_API_KEY=
OPENAI_URL=
`

`yaml


forge.yaml


model:
`

Groq

`bash


.env


OPENAI_API_KEY=
OPENAI_URL=https://api.groq.com/openai/v1
`

`yaml


forge.yaml


model: deepseek-r1-distill-llama-70b
`

Amazon Bedrock

To use Amazon Bedrock models with Forge, you'll need to first set up the Bedrock Access Gateway:

1. Set up Bedrock Access Gateway:

- Follow the deployment steps in the Bedrock Access Gateway repo
- Create your own API key in Secrets Manager
- Deploy the CloudFormation stack
- Note your API Base URL from the CloudFormation outputs

2. Configure in Forge:

`bash
forge provider login
# Select OpenAI-compatible provider and enter your Bedrock Gateway details
`

Legacy .env setup:

`bash


.env


OPENAI_API_KEY=
OPENAI_URL=
`

`yaml


forge.yaml


model: anthropic.claude-3-opus
`

---

$3

$3

Forge supports several environment variables for advanced configuration and fine-tuning. These can be set in your .env file or system environment.

Retry Configuration

Control how Forge handles retry logic for failed requests:

`bash


.env


FORGE_RETRY_INITIAL_BACKOFF_MS=1000 # Initial backoff time in milliseconds (default: 1000)
FORGE_RETRY_BACKOFF_FACTOR=2 # Multiplier for backoff time (default: 2)
FORGE_RETRY_MAX_ATTEMPTS=3 # Maximum retry attempts (default: 3)
FORGE_SUPPRESS_RETRY_ERRORS=false # Suppress retry error messages (default: false)
FORGE_RETRY_STATUS_CODES=429,500,502 # HTTP status codes to retry (default: 429,500,502,503,504)
`

HTTP Configuration

Fine-tune HTTP client behavior for API requests:

`bash


.env


FORGE_HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT=30 # Connection timeout in seconds (default: 30)
FORGE_HTTP_READ_TIMEOUT=900 # Read timeout in seconds (default: 900)
FORGE_HTTP_POOL_IDLE_TIMEOUT=90 # Pool idle timeout in seconds (default: 90)
FORGE_HTTP_POOL_MAX_IDLE_PER_HOST=5 # Max idle connections per host (default: 5)
FORGE_HTTP_MAX_REDIRECTS=10 # Maximum redirects to follow (default: 10)
FORGE_HTTP_USE_HICKORY=false # Use Hickory DNS resolver (default: false)
FORGE_HTTP_TLS_BACKEND=default # TLS backend: "default" or "rustls" (default: "default")
FORGE_HTTP_MIN_TLS_VERSION=1.2 # Minimum TLS version: "1.0", "1.1", "1.2", "1.3"
FORGE_HTTP_MAX_TLS_VERSION=1.3 # Maximum TLS version: "1.0", "1.1", "1.2", "1.3"
FORGE_HTTP_ADAPTIVE_WINDOW=true # Enable HTTP/2 adaptive window (default: true)
FORGE_HTTP_KEEP_ALIVE_INTERVAL=60 # Keep-alive interval in seconds (default: 60, use "none"/"disabled" to disable)
FORGE_HTTP_KEEP_ALIVE_TIMEOUT=10 # Keep-alive timeout in seconds (default: 10)
FORGE_HTTP_KEEP_ALIVE_WHILE_IDLE=true # Keep-alive while idle (default: true)
FORGE_HTTP_ACCEPT_INVALID_CERTS=false # Accept invalid certificates (default: false) - USE WITH CAUTION
FORGE_HTTP_ROOT_CERT_PATHS=/path/to/cert1.pem,/path/to/cert2.crt # Paths to root certificate files (PEM, CRT, CER format), multiple paths separated by commas
`

> ⚠️ Security Warning: Setting FORGE_HTTP_ACCEPT_INVALID_CERTS=true disables SSL/TLS certificate verification, which can expose you to man-in-the-middle attacks. Only use this in development environments or when you fully trust the network and endpoints.

API Configuration

Override default API endpoints:

`bash


.env


FORGE_API_URL=https://api.forgecode.dev # Custom Forge API URL (default: https://api.forgecode.dev)
`

Tool Configuration

Configuring the tool calls settings:

`bash


.env


FORGE_TOOL_TIMEOUT=300 # Maximum execution time in seconds for a tool before it is terminated to prevent hanging the session. (default: 300)
FORGE_MAX_IMAGE_SIZE=262144 # Maximum image file size in bytes for read_image operations (default: 262144 - 256 KB)
FORGE_DUMP_AUTO_OPEN=false # Automatically open dump files in browser (default: false)
FORGE_DEBUG_REQUESTS=/path/to/debug/requests.json # Write debug HTTP request files to specified path (supports absolute and relative paths)
`

ZSH Plugin Configuration

Configure the ZSH plugin behavior:

`bash


.env


FORGE_BIN=forge # Command to use for forge operations (default: "forge")
`

The FORGE_BIN environment variable allows you to customize the command used by the ZSH plugin when transforming # prefixed commands. If not set, it defaults to "forge".

System Configuration

System-level environment variables (usually set automatically):

`bash


.env


FORGE_MAX_SEARCH_RESULT_BYTES=101024 # Maximum bytes for search results (default: 101024 - 10 KB)
FORGE_HISTORY_FILE=/path/to/history # Custom path for Forge history file (default: uses system default location)
FORGE_BANNER="Your custom banner text" # Custom banner text to display on startup (default: Forge ASCII art)
FORGE_SHOW_TASK_STATS=true # Show task stats such as file changes, token usage etc. after completion (default: true)
FORGE_MAX_CONVERSATIONS=100 # Maximum number of conversations to show in list (default: 100)
SHELL=/bin/zsh # Shell to use for command execution (Unix/Linux/macOS)
COMSPEC=cmd.exe # Command processor to use (Windows)
`

The forge.yaml file supports several advanced configuration options that let you customize Forge's behavior.

Custom Rules

Add your own guidelines that all agents should follow when generating responses.

`yaml


forge.yaml


custom_rules: |
1. Always add comprehensive error handling to any code you write.
2. Include unit tests for all new functions.
3. Follow our team's naming convention: camelCase for variables, PascalCase for classes.
`

Commands

Define custom commands as shortcuts for repetitive prompts:

`yaml


forge.yaml


commands:
- name: "refactor"
description: "Refactor selected code"
prompt: "Please refactor this code to improve readability and performance"
`

Model

Specify the default AI model to use for all agents in the workflow.

`yaml


forge.yaml


model: "claude-3.7-sonnet"
`

Max Walker Depth

Control how deeply Forge traverses your project directory structure when gathering context.

`yaml


forge.yaml


max_walker_depth: 3 # Limit directory traversal to 3 levels deep
`

Temperature

Adjust the creativity and randomness in AI responses. Lower values (0.0-0.3) produce more focused, deterministic outputs, while higher values (0.7-2.0) generate more diverse and creative results.

`yaml


forge.yaml


temperature: 0.7 # Balanced creativity and focus
`




Tool Max Failure Limit

Control how many times a tool can fail before Forge forces completion to prevent infinite retry loops. This helps avoid situations where an agent gets stuck repeatedly trying the same failing operation.

`yaml


forge.yaml


max_tool_failure_per_turn: 3 # Allow up to 3 failures per tool before forcing completion
`

Set to a higher value if you want more retry attempts, or lower if you want faster failure detection.

Max Requests Per Turn

Limit the maximum number of requests an agent can make in a single conversation turn. This prevents runaway conversations and helps control API usage and costs.

`yaml


forge.yaml


max_requests_per_turn: 50 # Allow up to 50 requests per turn
`

When this limit is reached, Forge will:

- Ask you if you wish to continue
- If you respond with 'Yes', it will continue the conversation
- If you respond with 'No', it will end the conversation

---

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

The MCP feature allows AI agents to communicate with external tools and services. This implementation follows Anthropic's Model Context Protocol design.

$3

Configure MCP servers using the CLI:

`bash


List all MCP servers

forge mcp list

Add a new server

forge mcp add

Add a server using JSON format

forge mcp add-json

Get server details

forge mcp get

Remove a server

forge mcp remove
`

Or manually create a .mcp.json file with the following structure:

`json
{
"mcpServers": {
"server_name": {
"command": "command_to_execute",
"args": ["arg1", "arg2"],
"env": { "ENV_VAR": "value" }
},
"another_server": {
"url": "http://localhost:3000/events"
}
}
}
`

MCP configurations are read from two locations (in order of precedence):

1. Local configuration (project-specific)
2. User configuration (user-specific)

$3

MCP can be used for various integrations:

- Web browser automation
- External API interactions
- Tool integration
- Custom service connections

$3

MCP tools can be used as part of multi-agent workflows, allowing specialized agents to interact with external systems as part of a collaborative problem-solving approach.

---

Documentation

For comprehensive documentation on all features and capabilities, please visit the documentation site.

---


Troubleshooting

$3

If you encounter errors like:

`
/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6: version GLIBC_2.XX' not found
``

This means the binary requires a newer version of glibc than what's available on your system. You can use one of these solutions:

1. Force using the musl binary (recommended for environments like Codespaces):

`bash
# Set environment variable to force musl before installing
export FORCE_MUSL=1
npm install -g forgecode
``

2. Update your system's glibc (if you have administrative access)

3. Use a Docker container with a newer Linux distribution

The musl binary has fewer system dependencies and should work on most Linux systems regardless of glibc version.

Community

Join our vibrant Discord community to connect with other Forge users and contributors, get help with your projects, share ideas, and provide feedback!


---

Support Us

Your support drives Forge's continued evolution! By starring our GitHub repository, you:

- Help others discover this powerful tool 🔍
- Motivate our development team 💪
- Enable us to prioritize new features 🛠️
- Strengthen our open-source community 🌱

License

MIT