FAQ

FAQ

Can I use dotforge without the global CLAUDE.md?

Yes, but you lose behavioral rules (communication, planning, critical partner). The global CLAUDE.md defines how Claude works. The project one defines what it works on.

What happens if I modify a file managed by forge?

/forge diff detects it and /forge sync warns you before overwriting. You can accept or reject each file individually.

How do I add a stack that doesn't exist?

Create stacks/<name>/ with rules/*.md (with globs: frontmatter) and settings.json.partial. See Creating Stacks.

Can I export the config to Cursor/Codex?

/forge export cursor    → .cursorrules
/forge export codex     → AGENTS.md
/forge export windsurf  → .windsurfrules
/forge export openclaw  → OpenClaw workspace skill

Hooks are converted to text instructions (no enforcement outside Claude Code).

How do I update dotforge?

cd ~/path/to/dotforge
git pull
./global/sync.sh

Then in each project: /forge diff → /forge sync.

What is the registry?

registry/projects.yml tracks all bootstrapped projects: name, path, stacks, score, audit history. /forge status reads it for the dashboard.

Are agents mandatory?

No. With minimal profile they aren't installed. With standard/full they are, but Claude decides when to use them based on the orchestration rule.

Does dotforge work on Windows?

Yes. global/sync.sh detects the platform and uses file copies as fallback when symlinks aren't supported (Git Bash, WSL).

Can I use dotforge with OpenClaw?

Yes. Either:

• /forge export openclaw — generates a project-specific OpenClaw skill
• bash integrations/openclaw/install.sh — installs the forge bridge for all projects

How do I know if my rules are actually helping?

/forge rule-check cross-references rule globs against git history. Rules with <10% match rate are candidates for removal. /forge benchmark compares full config vs minimal on standardized tasks.

What is context: fork?

Skills marked with context: fork in their frontmatter execute in an isolated subagent rather than the main thread. This protects the main context from heavy operations (large file reads, multi-step generation) and ensures the skill works correctly after context compaction. Five heavy skills use it: plugin-generator, bootstrap-project, init-project, domain-extract, audit-project.

What happens in auto/YOLO mode?

When auto mode activates, certain allow patterns are silently stripped before the permission list is evaluated. Affected patterns include generic interpreter commands: python3, node, npm, aws, gcloud. If you rely on these in your allow list, they will stop working without any error message.

Use specific tool commands instead — e.g., Bash(pytest *), Bash(uvicorn *), Bash(vitest *), Bash(eslint *) — these are not stripped in auto mode.

What's the difference between plugin mode and full mode?

Plugin mode (via marketplace) gives you skills, agents, hooks, and commands. Full mode (git clone) adds the factory system: stack detection, template sync, registry tracking, practices pipeline, session metrics, config validation.