Quickstart
Welcome to Forge! This quickstart guide will have you using AI-powered coding assistance in just a few minutes. By the end, you'll understand how to use Forge for common development tasks.
Before you begin
Make sure you have:
- A code project to work with (or create a new one)
Step 1: Start your first session
Open your terminal in any project directory and start Forge:
cd /path/to/your/project
npx forgecode@latest
This will run Forge. When you first run it, Forge will open your browser to app.forgecode.dev for authorization. Complete the OAuth process to authenticate.
You'll see the Forge prompt inside a new interactive session:
✻ Welcome to Forge!
Context: /path/to/your/project
> Try asking "what does this project do?" or "help me add a new feature"
Step 2: Understand your codebase
Let's start by having Forge analyze your project. Try one of these commands:
> analyze the architecture of this codebase and identify any potential issues
Forge will examine your project structure, dependencies, and patterns. You can also ask for specific insights:
> what are the main components and how do they interact?
> identify any code smells or areas that need refactoring
> show me the data flow through this application
> what testing strategy is currently in place and how can it be improved?
Note: Forge reads your files as needed and maintains context throughout the conversation - you don't have to manually add files or repeat information.
Step 3: Make your first code change
Now let's have Forge write some code. Try a simple task:
> add a unit test for tree diffing function
Forge will:
- Identify the appropriate file
- Make the edit
Step 4: Use Git with Forge
Forge makes Git operations conversational and intelligent:
> what files have I changed?
> commit my changes with a descriptive message
You can also prompt for more complex Git operations:
> create a new branch called feature/quickstart-demo
> show me the last 5 commits
> help me resolve any merge conflicts
Step 5: Debug and fix issues
Forge excels at debugging and problem-solving. Describe issues in natural language:
> there's a bug where users can submit empty forms - help me fix it
Or ask for help with specific errors:
> I'm getting "TypeError: Cannot read property 'map' of undefined" - what might be causing this?
Forge will:
- Analyze the error context
- Identify potential causes
- Suggest multiple solutions
- Implement fixes with your approval
Step 6: Explore common workflows
Here are some powerful ways to work with Forge:
Refactor code
> refactor the authentication module to use async/await instead of callbacks
Write tests
> write unit tests for the calculator functions
Add new features
> add input validation to the user registration form
Code review
> review my changes and suggest improvements
Tip: Think of Forge as your AI pair programmer. Describe what you want to achieve in natural language, and it will help you get there efficiently.
Advanced usage patterns
Multi-step tasks
Break complex tasks into steps:
> 1. create a new API endpoint for user profiles
> 2. add validation for required fields
> 3. write tests for the endpoint
Context-aware assistance
Let Forge explore before making changes:
> analyze the database schema first
> how does error handling work in this app?
> then add proper error handling to the login endpoint
Specialized agents
Switch between different AI agents for specific tasks:
- Forge Agent: Full execution mode for implementing changes
- Muse Agent: Analysis mode for planning and review without modifications
Save time with shortcuts
- Press ↑ for command history
- Use Tab for command completion
- Type
/
to see all available slash commands
What's next?
Now that you've learned the basics, explore more advanced features:
Getting help
- In Forge: Type
/help
or ask "how do I..." - Documentation: Browse these guides for detailed information
- Community: Join our Discord for tips and support
Ready to dive deeper? Explore our comprehensive guides to unlock Forge's full potential for your development workflow.