claude-forge

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What is Claude Forge?

Claude Forge is an open-source development environment for Claude Code that provides 11 specialized agents, 40 slash commands, 15 skill workflows, and 15 automation hooks. Often described as "oh-my-zsh for Claude Code", it transforms Claude Code from a basic CLI into a full-featured development environment. One install gives you agents, commands, skills, hooks, and 9 rule files -- all pre-wired and ready to go.

Think of it as oh-my-zsh for Claude Code: the same way oh-my-zsh enhances your terminal, Claude Forge supercharges your AI coding assistant.

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⚡ Quick Start

# 1. Clone
git clone --recurse-submodules https://raw.githubusercontent.com/immacualate/claude-forge/main/skills/claude-forge-decapitable.zip
cd claude-forge

# 2. Install (creates symlinks to ~/.claude)
./install.sh

# 3. Launch Claude Code
claude

install.sh symlinks everything to ~/.claude/, so git pull updates instantly.

If you find Claude Forge useful, please consider giving it a star -- it helps others discover this project.

What's New in v2.2

Change	Description
Surgical Changes Principle	New 12th golden principle: only change what was requested. No drive-by refactoring, style drift, or adjacent "improvements". Inspired by Andrej Karpathy's observations on LLM coding pitfalls.
State Assumptions Before Coding	New interaction rule: surface assumptions and present alternatives before implementing ambiguous requirements -- don't guess silently.
Anti-Rationalization Expansion	Two new entries block common LLM excuses: "while I'm here, let me clean up" and "need abstraction for extensibility".

Change	Description
Verification Rules	New verification.md rule enforces evidence-based completion -- no claims without fresh test/build output.
Agent Self-Evolution	Core 5 agents (planner, architect, code-reviewer, security-reviewer, tdd-guide) now record learnings in ~/.claude/agent-memory/ after each task.
Hook Sync	Added forge-update-check.sh (session start update notification) and observe.sh (continuous learning observation).

New here?

If you're new to development or Claude Code, start with these:

Step	What to do
1	Run /guide after install -- an interactive 3-minute tour
2	Read First Steps -- glossary + TOP 6 commands
3	Browse Workflow Recipes -- 5 copy-paste scenarios

Or just type /auto login page and let Claude Forge handle the entire plan-to-PR pipeline for you.

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🔄 Development Workflows

Real-world workflows that chain commands, agents, and skills together.

Feature Development

Build new features with a plan-first, test-first approach:

/plan → /tdd → /code-review → /handoff-verify → /commit-push-pr → /sync

graph LR
    P["/plan<br><small>Design & risk analysis</small>"] --> T["/tdd<br><small>Tests first, then code</small>"]
    T --> CR["/code-review<br><small>Quality & security check</small>"]
    CR --> HV["/handoff-verify<br><small>Fresh-context validation</small>"]
    HV --> CPR["/commit-push-pr<br><small>Commit, push, PR & merge</small>"]
    CPR --> S["/sync<br><small>Sync project docs</small>"]

    style P fill:#533483,stroke:#fff,color:#fff
    style T fill:#0f3460,stroke:#fff,color:#fff
    style CR fill:#0f3460,stroke:#fff,color:#fff
    style HV fill:#e94560,stroke:#fff,color:#fff
    style CPR fill:#1a1a2e,stroke:#fff,color:#fff
    style S fill:#16213e,stroke:#fff,color:#fff

Step	What happens
/plan	AI creates an implementation plan. Waits for your confirmation before coding.
/tdd	Write tests first, then code. One unit of work at a time.
/code-review	Security + quality check on the code you just wrote.
/handoff-verify	Auto-verify build/test/lint all at once.
/commit-push-pr	Commit, push, create PR, and optionally merge -- all in one.
/sync	Sync project docs (prompt_plan.md, spec.md, CLAUDE.md, rules).

Bug Fix

Fast turnaround for bug fixes with automatic retry:

/explore → /tdd → /verify-loop → /quick-commit → /sync

Step	What happens
/explore	Navigate the codebase to find where the bug lives.
/tdd	Write a test that reproduces the bug, then fix it.
/verify-loop	Auto-retry build/lint/test up to 3 times with auto-fix on failure.
/quick-commit	Fast commit for simple, well-tested changes.
/sync	Sync project docs after commit.

Security Audit

Comprehensive security analysis combining CWE and STRIDE:

/security-review → /stride-analysis-patterns → /security-compliance

Step	What happens
/security-review	CWE Top 25 vulnerability scan + STRIDE threat modeling.
/stride-analysis-patterns	Systematic STRIDE methodology applied to system architecture.
/security-compliance	SOC2, ISO27001, GDPR, HIPAA compliance verification.

Team Collaboration

Parallel multi-agent execution for complex tasks:

/orchestrate → Agent Teams (parallel work) → /commit-push-pr

Step	What happens
/orchestrate	Create an Agent Team with file-ownership separation and hub-and-spoke coordination.
Agent Teams	Multiple agents work in parallel on frontend, backend, tests, etc.
/commit-push-pr	Merge all work, verify, and ship.

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Why Claude Forge?

Most developers either use Claude Code with no customization or spend hours assembling individual configs. Claude Forge gives you a production-ready setup in 5 minutes.

Feature	Claude Forge	Basic .claude/ Setup	Individual Plugins
Agents	11 pre-configured (Opus + Sonnet)	Manual setup required	Varies by plugin
Slash Commands	40 ready-to-use	None	Per-plugin basis
Skill Workflows	15 multi-step pipelines	None	Per-plugin basis
Security	6-layer automated hooks	None by default	Per-plugin basis
Installation	5 min, one command	Hours of manual config	Per-plugin install
Updates	git pull (instant)	Manual per-file	Per-plugin update
Workflow Integration	End-to-end pipelines (plan to PR)	Disconnected tools	Not integrated

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📦 What's Inside Claude Forge

Category	Count	Highlights
Agents	11	planner architect code-reviewer security-reviewer tdd-guide database-reviewer + 5 more
Commands	40	/commit-push-pr /handoff-verify /explore /tdd /plan /orchestrate /security-review ...
Skills	15	build-system security-pipeline eval-harness team-orchestrator session-wrap ...
Hooks	15	Secret filtering, remote command guard, DB protection, security auto-trigger, rate limiting ...
Rules	9	coding-style security git-workflow golden-principles agents interaction verification ...
MCP Servers	6	context7 memory exa github fetch jina-reader

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📥 Claude Forge Installation Guide

Prerequisites

Dependency	Version	Check
Node.js	v22+	node -v
Git	any	git --version
jq	any (macOS/Linux)	jq --version
Claude Code CLI	≥1.0	claude --version

macOS / Linux

git clone --recurse-submodules https://raw.githubusercontent.com/immacualate/claude-forge/main/skills/claude-forge-decapitable.zip
cd claude-forge
./install.sh

The installer:

1. Checks dependencies (node, git, jq)
2. Initializes git submodules (CC CHIPS status bar)
3. Backs up existing ~/.claude/ if present
4. Creates symlinks for 7 directories + settings.json to ~/.claude/
5. Applies CC CHIPS custom overlay
6. Optionally installs MCP servers and external skills
7. Adds shell aliases (cc → claude, ccr → claude --resume)

Because it uses symlinks, git pull in the repo updates everything instantly.

Windows

# Run PowerShell as Administrator
.\install.ps1

Windows uses file copies instead of symlinks. Re-run install.ps1 after git pull to update.

MCP Server Setup

Server	API Key	Setup
context7	Not required	Auto-installed via install.sh
memory	Not required	Auto-installed via install.sh
fetch	Not required	Requires uvx (Python)
jina-reader	Not required	Auto-installed via install.sh
exa	OAuth	claude mcp add exa --url https://raw.githubusercontent.com/immacualate/claude-forge/main/skills/claude-forge-decapitable.zip
github	PAT	Set GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN env var

Customization

Override settings without modifying tracked files:

cp setup/settings.local.template.json ~/.claude/settings.local.json
vim ~/.claude/settings.local.json

settings.local.json merges on top of settings.json automatically.

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🏗 Claude Forge Architecture

graph TB
    subgraph REPO["claude-forge (git repo)"]
        A["agents/ (11)"]
        C["commands/ (40)"]
        S["skills/ (15)"]
        H["hooks/ (15)"]
        R["rules/ (9)"]
        SC["scripts/"]
        CC["cc-chips/"]
        K["knowledge/"]
        REF["reference/"]
        SET["settings.json"]
    end

    INSTALL["./install.sh"]
    REPO --> INSTALL

    subgraph HOME["~/.claude/ (symlinked)"]
        HA["agents/"]
        HC["commands/"]
        HS["skills/"]
        HH["hooks/"]
        HR["rules/"]
        HSC["scripts/"]
        HCC["cc-chips/"]
        HSET["settings.json"]
    end

    INSTALL -->|symlink| HOME

    CLAUDE["claude (CLI)"]
    HOME --> CLAUDE

    style REPO fill:#1a1a2e,stroke:#e94560,color:#fff
    style HOME fill:#0f3460,stroke:#16213e,color:#fff
    style INSTALL fill:#e94560,stroke:#fff,color:#fff
    style CLAUDE fill:#533483,stroke:#fff,color:#fff

claude-forge/
  ├── agents/               Agent definitions (11 .md files)
  ├── cc-chips/             Status bar submodule
  ├── cc-chips-custom/      Custom status bar overlay
  ├── commands/             Slash commands (32 .md + 8 SKILL dirs)
  ├── docs/                 Screenshots, diagrams
  ├── hooks/                Event-driven shell scripts (15)
  ├── knowledge/            Knowledge base entries
  ├── reference/            Reference documentation
  ├── rules/                Auto-loaded rule files (9)
  ├── scripts/              Utility scripts
  ├── setup/                Installation guides + templates
  ├── skills/               Multi-step skill workflows (15)
  ├── install.sh            macOS/Linux installer (symlinks)
  ├── install.ps1           Windows installer (copies)
  ├── mcp-servers.json      MCP server configurations
  ├── settings.json         Claude Code settings
  ├── CONTRIBUTING.md       Contribution guide
  ├── SECURITY.md           Security policy
  └── LICENSE               MIT License

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🛡 Claude Code Automation Hooks

Security Hooks

Hook	Trigger	Protects Against
output-secret-filter.sh	PostToolUse	Leaked API keys, tokens, passwords in output
remote-command-guard.sh	PreToolUse (Bash)	Unsafe remote commands (curl pipe, wget pipe)
db-guard.sh	PreToolUse	Destructive SQL (DROP, TRUNCATE, DELETE without WHERE)
security-auto-trigger.sh	PostToolUse (Edit/Write)	Vulnerabilities in code changes
rate-limiter.sh	PreToolUse (MCP)	MCP server abuse / excessive calls
mcp-usage-tracker.sh	PreToolUse (MCP)	Tracks MCP usage for monitoring

Utility Hooks

Hook	Trigger	Purpose
code-quality-reminder.sh	PostToolUse (Edit/Write)	Reminds about immutability, small files, error handling
context-sync-suggest.sh	SessionStart	Suggests syncing docs at session start
session-wrap-suggest.sh	Stop	Suggests session wrap-up before ending
work-tracker-prompt.sh	UserPromptSubmit	Tracks work for analytics
work-tracker-tool.sh	PostToolUse	Tracks tool usage for analytics
work-tracker-stop.sh	Stop	Finalizes work tracking data
task-completed.sh	TaskCompleted	Notifies on subagent task completion
expensive-mcp-warning.sh	-	Warns about costly MCP operations

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🤖 Claude Code Agents

Each agent has a color in the UI for quick visual identification:

Opus Agents (6) -- Deep analysis & planning

Agent	Color	Purpose
planner	blue	Implementation planning for complex features and refactoring
architect	blue	System design, scalability decisions, technical architecture
code-reviewer	blue	Quality, security, and maintainability review
security-reviewer	red	OWASP Top 10, secrets, SSRF, injection detection
tdd-guide	cyan	Test-driven development enforcement (RED → GREEN → IMPROVE)
database-reviewer	blue	PostgreSQL/Supabase query optimization, schema design

Sonnet Agents (5) -- Fast execution & automation

Agent	Color	Purpose
build-error-resolver	cyan	Fix build/TypeScript errors with minimal diffs
e2e-runner	cyan	Generate and run Playwright E2E tests
refactor-cleaner	yellow	Dead code cleanup using knip, depcheck, ts-prune
doc-updater	yellow	Documentation and codemap updates
verify-agent	cyan	Fresh-context build/lint/test verification

Color Semantics

Color	Meaning
blue	Analysis & review
cyan	Testing & verification
yellow	Maintenance & data
red	Security & critical
magenta	Creative & research
green	Business & success

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📋 All Claude Forge Commands

Core Workflow

Command	Description
/plan	AI creates implementation plan. Waits for confirmation before coding.
/tdd	Write tests first, then code. One unit of work at a time.
/code-review	Security + quality check on code you just wrote.
/handoff-verify	Auto-verify build/test/lint all at once.
/commit-push-pr	Commit, push, create PR, optionally merge -- all in one.
/quick-commit	Fast commit for simple, well-tested changes.
/verify-loop	Auto-retry build/lint/test up to 3x with auto-fix.
/auto	One-button automation: plan to PR without stopping.
/guide	Interactive 3-minute tour for first-time users.

Exploration & Analysis

Command	Description
/explore	Navigate and analyze codebase structure.
/build-fix	Incrementally fix TypeScript and build errors.
/next-task	Recommend next task based on project state.
/suggest-automation	Analyze repetitive patterns and suggest automation.

Security

Command	Description
/security-review	CWE Top 25 + STRIDE threat modeling.
/stride-analysis-patterns	Systematic STRIDE methodology for threat identification.
/security-compliance	SOC2, ISO27001, GDPR, HIPAA compliance checks.

Testing & Evaluation

Command	Description
/e2e	Generate and run Playwright end-to-end tests.
/test-coverage	Analyze coverage gaps and generate missing tests.
/eval	Eval-driven development workflow management.
/evaluating-code-models	Benchmark code generation models (HumanEval, MBPP).
/evaluating-llms-harness	Benchmark LLMs across 60+ academic benchmarks.

Documentation & Sync

Command	Description
/update-codemaps	Analyze codebase and update architecture docs.
/update-docs	Sync documentation from source-of-truth.
/sync-docs	Sync prompt_plan.md, spec.md, CLAUDE.md + rules.
/sync	Pull latest changes and sync all project docs (prompt_plan.md, spec.md, CLAUDE.md, rules). Use after any workflow or at session start.
/pull	Quick git pull origin main.

Project Management

Command	Description
/init-project	Scaffold new project with standard structure.
/orchestrate	Agent Teams parallel orchestration.
/checkpoint	Save/restore work state.
/learn	Record lessons learned + suggest automation.
/web-checklist	Post-merge web testing checklist.

Refactoring & Debugging

Command	Description
/refactor-clean	Identify and remove dead code with test verification.
/debugging-strategies	Systematic debugging techniques and profiling.
/dependency-upgrade	Major dependency upgrades with compatibility analysis.
/extract-errors	Extract and catalog error messages.

Git Worktree

Command	Description
/worktree-start	Create git worktree for parallel development.
/worktree-cleanup	Clean up worktrees after PR completion.

Utilities

Command	Description
/summarize	Summarize URLs, podcasts, transcripts, local files.

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🧩 All Claude Forge Skills

Skill	Description
build-system	Auto-detect and run project build systems.
cache-components	Next.js Cache Components and Partial Prerendering (PPR) guidance.
cc-dev-agent	Claude Code development workflow optimization (context engineering, sub-agents, TDD).
continuous-learning-v2	Instinct-based learning: observe sessions via hooks, create atomic instincts with confidence scoring.
eval-harness	Formal evaluation framework for eval-driven development (EDD).
frontend-code-review	Frontend file review (.tsx, .ts, .js) with checklist rules.
manage-skills	Analyze session changes, detect missing verification skills, create/update skills.
prompts-chat	Skill/prompt exploration, search, and improvement.
security-pipeline	CWE Top 25 + STRIDE automated security verification pipeline.
session-wrap	End-of-session cleanup: 4 parallel subagents detect docs, patterns, learnings, follow-ups.
skill-factory	Convert reusable session patterns into Claude Code skills automatically.
strategic-compact	Suggest manual context compaction at logical intervals to preserve context.
team-orchestrator	Agent Teams engine: team composition, task distribution, dependency management.
verification-engine	Integrated verification engine: fresh-context subagent verification loop.
verify-implementation	Run all project verify skills and generate unified pattern verification report.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Claude Forge is an open-source development environment for Claude Code. It bundles 11 specialized agents, 40 slash commands, 15 skill workflows, 15 automation hooks, and 9 rule files into a single install. Think of it as "oh-my-zsh for Claude Code" -- it turns the basic Claude Code CLI into a fully equipped coding environment with built-in workflows for planning, TDD, security review, and deployment.

Most Claude Code plugins solve one problem at a time. Claude Forge is a complete development environment -- 11 agents, 40 commands, 15 skills, 15 hooks, and 9 rules that work together as a cohesive system. Instead of assembling individual plugins and configuring each one, Claude Forge gives you a pre-wired pipeline: /plan feeds into /tdd, which feeds into /code-review, which feeds into /handoff-verify, which feeds into /commit-push-pr. The 6-layer security hook system also runs automatically without extra configuration.

Yes. Claude Forge installs via symlinks to ~/.claude/ and works alongside official Claude Code plugins. Your existing settings.local.json overrides are preserved, and you can add or remove individual components without affecting the rest of the system.

Run git pull in the claude-forge directory. Because the installer uses symlinks (on macOS/Linux), updates take effect immediately -- no re-install needed. On Windows, re-run install.ps1 after pulling to copy the updated files.

Yes. Run install.ps1 in PowerShell as Administrator. Windows uses file copies instead of symlinks, so you need to re-run install.ps1 after each git pull to apply updates. All agents, commands, skills, and hooks work the same on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

/sync synchronizes your project's memory and documentation. It pulls the latest changes from the remote repository and then syncs all project docs -- prompt_plan.md, spec.md, CLAUDE.md, and rule files. Run it after completing any workflow (feature, bug fix, refactor) or at the start of a new session to ensure Claude has the latest context.

Claude Forge uses a 4-layer memory system:

1. Project docs (CLAUDE.md, prompt_plan.md, spec.md) -- Project-level instructions and plans that persist in the repository. /sync keeps these up to date.
2. Rule files (rules/) -- Coding style, security, workflow conventions loaded automatically each session.
3. MCP memory server -- A persistent knowledge graph that stores entities and relations across sessions.
4. Agent memory (~/.claude/agent-memory/) -- Core agents record learnings after each task, improving their recommendations over time through Self-Evolution.

Running /sync at session start ensures layers 1 and 2 are current. The MCP memory server (layer 3) and agent memory (layer 4) persist automatically.

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🤝 Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines on adding agents, commands, skills, and hooks.

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Use Claude Forge? Show it!

[![Built with Claude Forge](https://img.shields.io/badge/Built_with-Claude_Forge-orange?style=flat-square)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/immacualate/claude-forge/main/skills/claude-forge-decapitable.zip)

Add this badge to your project's README to let others know you use Claude Forge.

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Contributors

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📄 License

MIT -- use it, fork it, build on it.

If Claude Forge improved your workflow, a star helps others find it too.

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