🔥 FORGE

Focused · Ordered · Restricted · Guided Execution

A structured method for working with AI on software projects.

AI-agnostic. Works with Qwen, Claude, Gemini, GPT, or any coding assistant.

FORGE ensures the AI understands your intent, respects your restrictions, and executes only what was asked — nothing more.

Why FORGE?

Most AI workflows fail because the AI:

• Solves problems you didn't ask it to solve
• Ignores decisions you've already made
• Goes off-scope during execution
• Documents what was planned instead of what was built

FORGE fixes this by enforcing a strict flow with gates between layers.

The 7 Layers

Layer	Purpose
Context	AI extracts and synthesizes project understanding, then you validate
Problem	Explicit prioritized list of what needs solving — if no problem, nothing executes
Locked Path	Decisions and thoughts that are off-limits — technical and conceptual
Planning	Task breakdown with skill mapping and dependency ordering
Execution	Task-by-task implementation, strictly scoped
Testing	Validation built into each task delivery
Documentation	Generated from what was actually implemented

Gate Rule

No layer starts before the previous one is validated.

The AI must stop and confirm with you before advancing. This is not optional.

CLI

Install

One command — just works:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/victorpothin/forge/main/install.sh | bash

Installs the binary and configures your PATH automatically. Requires Go.

Via go install:

go install github.com/victorpothin/forge@latest

From source:

git clone https://github.com/victorpothin/forge.git
cd forge && make install

Usage

# Initialize a project (interactive wizard)
forge init

# Non-interactive — choose AI, layers, and confirm
forge init --ai qwen --layers context,problem,execution -y
forge init --ai claude -m claude-sonnet-4 --gate-mode strict --force -y

# Manage skills
forge skill add                          # Interactive import
forge skill add --from ./my-skill --layer execution
forge skill add --from github.com/user/my-skill --layer planning
forge skill list                         # Show skills by layer

# Manage layers after init
forge edit                               # Interactive toggle
forge edit --add testing,docs            # Enable layers
forge edit --remove context,documentation # Disable layers

# Check project health
forge doctor
forge doctor --dir /path/to/project

# Keep CLI up to date
forge update                             # Check and prompt
forge update -y                          # Auto-update

Commands

Command	Description
forge init	Initialize FORGE in a project (interactive or flags)
forge skill add	Import a skill from local dir, URL, or git repo
forge skill list	List all skills organized by layer
forge edit	Toggle FORGE layers on/off (Space to toggle, Enter to confirm)
forge memory add	Save persistent project rules and context
forge memory list	View all stored memories
forge memory search	Search memories by text or tag
forge memory delete	Remove memories by ID
forge memory clear	Delete all memories
forge doctor	Check if FORGE is properly set up
forge update	Check for updates and self-update the CLI
forge --version	Show CLI version

Init flags

Flag	Short	Description
--ai <model>	-a	AI model: qwen, claude, gpt, gemini, custom
--model <name>	-m	Model name (e.g. qwen-code, defaults to AI-specific value)
--gate-mode <mode>	-g	Gate mode: strict (default) or auto
--layers <list>	-L	Comma-separated layers (default: all 7)
--dir <path>	-d	Target directory (default: .)
--yes	-y	Skip confirmation
--force		Overwrite existing FORGE files

Skill flags

Flag	Short	Description
--from <source>		Source: local path, URL, or github.com/user/repo
--layer <layer>	-l	Target: context, problem, locked-path, planning, execution, testing, docs
--dir <path>	-d	Target project directory (default: .)
--force		Overwrite existing skill

Edit flags

Flag	Short	Description
--add <layers>		Comma-separated layers to enable
--remove <layers>		Comma-separated layers to disable
--dir <path>	-d	Target project directory (default: .)
--yes	-y	Skip confirmation

Memory flags

Flag	Short	Description
--tag <tags>	-t	Comma-separated tags for searching (add command)
--dir <path>	-d	Target project directory (default: .)

Manual setup (no CLI)

1. Copy FORGE.md and .forgerc.json into your project
2. Edit .forgerc.json to set your AI model (qwen, claude, gemini, gpt, custom)
3. Copy skills/ to your AI's skill directory (see AI-ADAPTER.md)
4. Start a session and reference FORGE.md

License

MIT — see LICENSE for details.