Forge

Forge is an Application Hosted Kernel with pluggable capabilities.

This is the Forge monorepo — the kitchen sink where the kernel, modules, installer, and documentation are developed. It is not intended for application assembly. To start a project, use the installer.

A fast, simple, no-magic kernel that puts you in control. That is what Forge is — a kernel, not a framework.

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Philosophy

Forge is not here to be everything for everyone. It is here to give you a strong, minimal foundation you can own.

You are not a user. You are a builder.

• If you use Forge, it belongs to you now. Your rules. Your way.
• You get a solid base, and updates if you want them.
• If the direction does not fit yours — fork it, and forge your own path.
• Modules and improvements are published as they help build real-world applications. Take what helps, ignore what does not.

You do not build Forge applications. You build your application on top of the Forge kernel. Kernel + capabilities (modules) + your own code = your application. You assemble, you own, you decide.

This is not a product. This is a toolbox.

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What's In This Monorepo

• Kernel — the minimal, no-magic core (DI, module loader, CLI, config)
• Modules — pluggable capabilities as separate packages
• Installer — project creation and setup scripts
• Configuration — registry, environment, and service wiring
• Documentation — philosophy, guides, forging your own distribution

The CLI is part of the kernel — it is how you interact with it.

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Capabilities as Modules

Forge starts minimal, and you add capabilities as modules when you need them.

Need a database? Install a database module. Need an ORM? Install an ORM module. Authentication, storage, testing — all capabilities, all optional, all pluggable.

php forge.php package:install-module --module=forge-auth
php forge.php package:install-module --module=forge-storage
php forge.php package:install-module --module=forge-database-sql

Or clone from the module registry and drop them in /modules.

Capability modules are published as they help build real-world projects. If something is too specific, it will not be published — or a simplified version will be.

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Install

With the Installer (Recommended)

bash <(curl -Ls https://raw.githubusercontent.com/forge-kernel/installer/main/installer.sh)

Manually

php install.php
php forge.php key:generate
php forge.php package:install-project

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Want to Build Your Own Kernel Distribution?

See FORGING-YOUR-OWN.md.

You can rename the CLI, change the bootstrap flow, use your own registry, build your own capabilities. Everything is yours. This is a kernel, not a framework. You are the builder.

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License

MIT — take it, use it, change it.