FAQ

Frequently asked questions about ForgeKit.

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General

What is ForgeKit?

ForgeKit is a CLI tool that scaffolds production-ready projects in seconds. One command gives you a fully wired project with the right stack, Dockerfile, CI/CD pipeline, and environment config already set up.

Is ForgeKit free?

Yes. ForgeKit is open-source software licensed under the Apache License 2.0. It is free to use, modify, and distribute.

What stacks does ForgeKit support?

Currently three templates are available:

Template	Stack
web-app	Node.js + React + TypeScript
api-service	Python + FastAPI + PostgreSQL
ml-pipeline	Python + Jupyter + MLflow

More templates are being added. See the Templates page.

Does ForgeKit work on Windows?

ForgeKit requires Node.js 18+ and works on macOS, Linux, and Windows (via WSL2 or Git Bash). Native Windows (cmd.exe / PowerShell) is not currently tested.

Do I need Docker?

No. Docker is optional. Templates include a Dockerfile and docker-compose.yml for convenience, but scaffolding works without Docker installed.

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Installation

What are the requirements?

• Node.js 18.0.0 or higher
• npm 8.0.0 or higher
• Git (for version control of your scaffolded project)
• Python 3.9+ (for api-service and ml-pipeline templates)

Run npx forgekit-cli doctor to check your environment.

Do I need to install ForgeKit globally?

No. You can use it directly with npx:

npx forgekit-cli new my-app --template web-app

If you prefer a global install:

npm install -g forgekit-cli
forgekit new my-app --template web-app

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Scaffolding

Can I use ForgeKit in an existing project?

Not currently. ForgeKit is designed to scaffold new projects from scratch. Support for adding templates to existing projects is on the roadmap.

Can I scaffold into a specific directory?

Yes, use the --dir flag:

npx forgekit-cli new my-app --template web-app --dir ~/projects

Can I scaffold without running npm install?

Yes, use the --skip-install flag:

npx forgekit-cli new my-app --template web-app --skip-install

Can I use my own custom templates?

Yes. Use the github: or npm: prefix:

# From a GitHub repo
npx forgekit-cli new my-app --template github:my-org/my-template

# From npm
npx forgekit-cli new my-app --template npm:my-forgekit-template

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Templates

Can I contribute a template?

Yes! Template contributions are welcome. See Contributing for how to submit a template PR.

How do templates work?

Templates are directories of files with optional Handlebars (.hbs) variables. When you scaffold, ForgeKit substitutes variables like with your input and copies the files to the output directory.

Where are the templates stored?

Templates are bundled inside the forgekit-cli npm package under dist/templates/. The source is in the templates/ directory of the GitHub repository.

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Privacy & Telemetry

Does ForgeKit collect data?

ForgeKit collects anonymous, opt-in usage events (scaffold command, template used, success/failure). No personal data, file contents, or project names are collected.

Telemetry only runs if you opt in during first run, and only outside of CI environments.

How do I opt out?

npx forgekit-cli telemetry disable

Where is my config stored?

At ~/.forgekit/config.json. You can inspect or delete it at any time.

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Contributing

How do I contribute?

Read CONTRIBUTING.md for the full guide. All contributions require a DCO sign-off:

git commit -s -m "feat: my change"

What license do contributions fall under?

All contributions are licensed under Apache 2.0 by signing the DCO. You retain copyright of your contributions.

How do I report a security vulnerability?

Do not open a public issue. Use GitHub Security Advisories to report privately.

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Still have a question?

Open a GitHub Discussion — we read everything.