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General Questions

Automagik Forge is a Vibe Coding++™ platform that brings structure to AI-assisted development. It’s a visual Kanban board where you plan tasks, choose AI agents to execute them in isolated git worktrees, compare results from multiple agents, and ship code you understand.Key Features:
  • Visual task management Kanban
  • 8+ AI coding agent integrations (Claude, Cursor, Gemini, etc.)
  • Git worktree isolation for safe experimentation
  • Multiple attempts per task (try different agents)
  • MCP server for AI agent integration
  • 100% open source and self-hostable
Regular “Vibe Coding” (Chaotic):
  • Chat with AI, get code, ship it
  • Lost in chat history
  • Code breaks in 2 weeks
  • No experimentation or comparison
  • Vendor lock-in to one AI
Vibe Coding++™ with Forge (Structured):
  • You plan tasks in persistent Kanban
  • AI agents execute in isolated worktrees
  • Compare multiple agent approaches
  • Review and understand before merge
  • Code stays maintainable
  • No vendor lock-in (8+ agents supported)
Yes! Forge is 100% free and open source (MIT License).
  • No subscription fees
  • No usage limits
  • Self-hostable on your machine
  • No vendor lock-in
  • Community-driven development
Costs you pay:
  • AI agent API costs (Claude, Gemini, etc.) - BYOL (Bring Your Own LLM)
  • Or use free/open-source agents (OpenCode, Qwen Code)
Forge supports 8+ AI coding agents:Commercial Agents:
  • Claude Code (Anthropic) - Best for complex logic, security
  • Cursor CLI - Modern React patterns, frontend
  • Gemini (Google) - Fast iterations, good all-rounder
  • OpenAI Codex - GPT-4 based coding
  • Amp (Sourcegraph) - Code intelligence
Open Source/Local Agents:
  • OpenCode - Free, runs locally
  • Qwen Code (Alibaba) - Open source
  • Claude Router - LLM-agnostic, use ANY model
Plus: You can add custom agents!
No! You only need API access to the agents you want to use.Options:
  1. Single AI - Use just Claude or just Gemini
  2. Free Agents - Use OpenCode or Qwen (100% free)
  3. Pay-as-you-go - Most AI APIs are pay-per-use, not subscriptions
Recommendation:
  • Start with one AI (Claude Code or Gemini)
  • Add more later to compare approaches
  • Use free agents for experimentation

Technical Questions

Git worktrees allow multiple working directories from one repository.Normal git workflow:
git checkout feature-branch  # Switches your code
# Risk: Can break your main branch
Forge worktree workflow:
# Main repo stays on main branch
# Each task gets isolated worktree
.forge/worktrees/task-1-attempt-1/  # AI works here
.forge/worktrees/task-2-attempt-1/  # Another task here

# Your main codebase is never touched
# Review results, merge when ready
Benefits:
  • Multiple tasks execute simultaneously
  • Main branch stays clean
  • Safe experimentation
  • Easy rollback
Attempts let you try the same task with different AI agents.Example:
Task: "Add user authentication"

Attempt 1: Claude Code → Comprehensive but complex
Attempt 2: Gemini → Simple but missing edge cases
Attempt 3: Cursor → Perfect balance ✅

You choose: Attempt 3 to merge
Benefits:
  • Compare different approaches
  • Learn which agent works best for what
  • No risk (each in isolated worktree)
  • Choose best implementation
No, Forge requires a git repository.Why:
  • Git worktrees provide isolation
  • Version control tracks changes
  • Safe rollback if needed
Quick setup if you don’t have git:
cd your-project
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"

# Now run Forge
automagik-forge
Yes! Forge works great with monorepos.Each sub-project can have its own Forge instance:
# Frontend
cd monorepo/frontend
automagik-forge --port 3000

# Backend
cd monorepo/backend
automagik-forge --port 3001

# Mobile
cd monorepo/mobile
automagik-forge --port 3002
Or use one Forge for entire monorepo with labeled tasks.
Not recommended. Forge is designed for development, not CI/CD.Instead, use Forge to:
  • Develop features locally
  • Review AI-generated code
  • Merge to main when approved
Then use normal CI/CD:
  • GitHub Actions
  • GitLab CI
  • Jenkins
  • etc.
Forge tasks create branches → you review → merge → CI/CD runs.

Usage Questions

1

Start Forge

cd your-project
automagik-forge
Opens at http://localhost:3000
2

Create Task

  • Click “New Task” button
  • Title: “Add dark mode toggle”
  • Description: “Create toggle component for light/dark theme”
  • Labels: feature, frontend
  • Click “Create”
3

Choose Agent

  • Click on task card
  • Click “New Attempt”
  • Select agent: Claude Code, Gemini, or Cursor
  • Click “Start”
4

Monitor Execution

  • Watch real-time logs
  • See code changes as they happen
  • Review when complete
5

Merge or Retry

  • If good: Click “Merge to Main”
  • If not: Create new attempt with different agent
  • Compare results
1

Create Task

Create a task normally
2

Run First Attempt

  • Choose agent (e.g., Claude Code)
  • Start execution
  • Wait for completion
3

Create Alternative Attempt

  • Click “New Attempt” on same task
  • Choose different agent (e.g., Gemini)
  • Start execution
4

Compare Results

  • Click “Compare Attempts”
  • See side-by-side diff
  • Review pros/cons
  • Choose best approach
5

Merge Winner

  • Select best attempt
  • Click “Merge”
  • Other attempts auto-cleanup
Yes! Via MCP (Model Context Protocol).Supported AI agents:
  • Claude Code
  • Cursor
  • VSCode + Cline
  • Roo Code
  • Gemini CLI
  • Any MCP-compatible agent
Setup:
  1. Get your Project ID:
    cat .forge/config.json | grep project_id
    
  2. Configure MCP server (example for Claude Code):
    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "automagik-forge": {
          "command": "npx",
          "args": ["automagik-forge", "--mcp"],
          "env": {
            "PROJECT_ID": "your-uuid-here"
          }
        }
      }
    }
    
  3. Use from AI agent:
    "Create a new task: Add user authentication with JWT"
    "List all high-priority tasks"
    "Update task-123 status to done"
    
See MCP Integration for details.
1

Set Up GitHub OAuth

2

Configure Forge

export GITHUB_CLIENT_ID=your_client_id
automagik-forge
3

Connect in UI

  • Settings → GitHub
  • Click “Connect GitHub”
  • Authorize app
  • Select repository
4

Sync Issues

  • Forge can import GitHub issues as tasks
  • Tasks can link to GitHub issues
  • PRs can be created from tasks
Possible but not recommended.Forge is designed for individual use:
  • Each developer runs their own Forge instance
  • Tasks in personal Kanban
  • Individual git worktrees
For team collaboration:
  • Each person runs Forge locally
  • Coordinate via GitHub/GitLab
  • Share task templates and patterns
  • Use same agents/settings across team
Future: Team collaboration features planned for later versions.

Troubleshooting Questions

Common causes:
  1. API Key Issues:
    # Verify API key is set
    echo $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY  # For Claude
    
    # Set if missing
    export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
    
  2. Git Issues:
    # Ensure you're in a git repo
    git status
    
    # Commit uncommitted changes
    git add .
    git commit -m "Save work"
    
  3. Executor Not Configured:
    # Check executors enabled
    cat .forge/config.json | jq '.executors'
    
    # Enable in UI: Settings → Executors
    
  4. Worktree Issues:
    # Clean up old worktrees
    git worktree prune
    rm -rf .forge/worktrees/*
    
See Troubleshooting for more.
Via UI (Recommended):
  • Settings → Cleanup → Remove Old Worktrees
Manually:
# Remove all worktree directories
rm -rf .forge/worktrees/*

# Prune git references
git worktree prune

# Restart Forge
automagik-forge
Automatically:
// In .forge/config.json
{
  "worktrees": {
    "auto_delete_merged": true,
    "cleanup_on_exit": true
  }
}
Causes:
  • Many git worktrees (each is full code copy)
  • Large git repository
  • Many task attempts
  • Database growth
Solutions:
  1. Clean up worktrees:
    rm -rf .forge/worktrees/*
    git worktree prune
    
  2. Clean up database:
    sqlite3 .forge/db.sqlite "DELETE FROM tasks WHERE status='done' AND updated_at < datetime('now', '-30 days');"
    sqlite3 .forge/db.sqlite "VACUUM;"
    
  3. Enable auto-cleanup:
    {
      "worktrees": {
        "auto_delete_merged": true,
        "max_concurrent": 3
      }
    }
    
Yes, but with limitations.Headless mode:
# Start backend only
BACKEND_PORT=5000 automagik-forge

# Access via API
curl http://server-ip:5000/api/projects

# Or use MCP mode
automagik-forge --mcp
Limitations:
  • No web UI (can build separately and point to API)
  • Need to manage via API or MCP only
  • GitHub OAuth requires redirect to localhost
Better approach:
  • Run Forge on your local machine
  • Use git/GitHub to share code changes
  • Each developer has own Forge instance

Advanced Questions

Yes! You can add custom executors.Example custom agent:
// In .forge/config.json
{
  "executors": {
    "my-custom-agent": {
      "enabled": true,
      "type": "http",
      "endpoint": "http://localhost:8887/api/execute",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${CUSTOM_AGENT_TOKEN}"
      },
      "timeout": 600000
    }
  }
}
Your custom agent must accept Forge’s execution API format.See Custom Executors for details.
Forge is open source! Contributions welcome.Ways to contribute:
  1. Report bugs:
  2. Suggest features:
    • GitHub Discussions or Discord
  3. Submit pull requests:
    • Fork the repo
    • Create feature branch
    • Submit PR
  4. Improve documentation:
    • Docs are in /docs directory
    • Submit PR with improvements
  5. Join community:
See CONTRIBUTING.md
Upcoming features:

Q4 2024

  • Template marketplace
  • Task dependencies visualization
  • UI revamp
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Spark integration (scheduled tasks)

Q1-Q2 2025

  • Cross-Forge sync (share tasks)
  • Hive executor (proprietary agent)
  • Non-code workflows (docs, PPTs)
  • Enterprise features
  • Mobile companion app

Future

  • AI intelligence layer
  • Global template marketplace
  • Industry verticals
  • Cloud offering (optional SaaS)
See full roadmap: https://github.com/orgs/namastexlabs/projects/9
Local storage:
  • All data stored locally in .forge/ directory
  • SQLite database (unencrypted)
  • GitHub OAuth tokens encrypted
No cloud sync (by default):
  • Your code never leaves your machine
  • Tasks stored locally only
  • No telemetry (except optional PostHog)
Security recommendations:
  1. Never commit .forge/ to git:
    .forge/
    .env
    
  2. Restrict file permissions:
    chmod 600 .forge/config.json
    chmod 700 .forge/
    
  3. Use environment variables for secrets:
    export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=...
    # Not in config files
    
  4. Backup important data:
    cp -r .forge .forge-backup
    
Forge is 100% self-hosted. You control your data.

Getting Help


Still have questions? Ask in Discord or open a GitHub Discussion!