Update Check Configuration

Updated on Oct 5, 2026

Forge checks GitHub for newer releases and prints a notice when one is available. This page explains when the check runs, how to turn it off, and what data it uses.

How it works

The check runs in a background thread and does not delay your command.
Forge caches the result locally and shows the notice from the cache.
Network and API errors are not shown. They are logged at debug level.
The notice is written to stderr, so it does not affect piped or redirected output.

When a newer version exists, the notice looks like this:

text

A newer version of frg is available: <latest> (current: <current>)
Run: curl -fsSL <install-script-url> | sh

If you installed Forge with a package manager, upgrade through that package manager instead. See Installation.

When the check is skipped

Forge skips the update check when any of these are true:

FORGE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK is set.
The check is disabled with [update_check] enabled = false.
Forge runs in a CI environment (for example, CI is set).
The session is non-interactive, or you pass -q/--quiet.

Disable the check

With an environment variable

Set FORGE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK for one command:

bash

FORGE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK=1 frg issue plan

To disable it for every session, add the variable to your shell profile:

bash

echo 'export FORGE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK=1' >> ~/.bashrc

FORGE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK takes precedence over configuration.

With configuration

Use the [update_check] table:

toml

[update_check]
enabled = false # Set to true to show update notices
interval_hours = 24 # Minimum hours between checks

Key	Description
`enabled`	Show update notices. Set to `false` to disable the check.
`interval_hours`	Minimum number of hours between network checks.

Privacy and data

Item	Details
Endpoint	`https://api.github.com/repos/telerik/forge/releases/latest`
Sent	A standard HTTPS request identifying the Forge version. No project or personal data.
Received	Latest release version and metadata
Stored locally	`update_check.json` in the Forge user configuration directory (`~/.config/forge/`), with the last check time (`last_check`) and latest version (`latest_version`)

You can delete update_check.json to force a fresh check.

Automatic updates and pre-releases

Forge provides the frg update command and two [update_check] keys. Each key has three states: omitted, false, or true. A layer that omits a key inherits the value from the layer below it (system, then user, then repository).

`auto_update` — automatic installation

State	Behavior
Omitted (default)	Forge shows the notice. You run `frg update`.
`auto_update = false`	Same as omitted, but overrides an opt-in from a lower-priority layer.
`auto_update = true`	Forge installs the update after your command finishes. The new version runs on your next command.

Automatic updates use the same verified path as frg update: detect the install method, download, verify the SHA-256 checksum, smoke test, and swap the binary atomically. Failures never change your command's exit status.

Auto-update is skipped when FORGE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK is set, the update check is disabled, you are in CI, stdout is not a terminal, a package manager installed Forge, the install directory is not writable, or an attempt was made in the last 4 hours.

FORGE_AUTO_UPDATE (1/true/yes/on or 0/false/no/off) overrides auto_update in every layer. FORGE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK still wins: FORGE_AUTO_UPDATE=0 suppresses installation but keeps the notice, and FORGE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK=1 suppresses both.

`include_prerelease` — installing pre-release versions

State	Behavior
Omitted (default)	`frg update` installs the newest stable release.
`include_prerelease = false`	Same as omitted, but overrides an opt-in from a lower-priority layer.
`include_prerelease = true`	`frg update` installs the newest published release, including pre-releases.

This setting affects only frg update without --version. If no stable release exists, Forge falls back to the newest pre-release.

toml

[update_check]
auto_update = true
include_prerelease = true

See Update Command.

Troubleshooting

No update notice appears

Cause: The check is disabled or skipped, or no newer version exists.

Solution:

Check that FORGE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK is not set:

bash

echo "$FORGE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK"

Check that CI is not set, and run Forge in an interactive terminal without --quiet.
Check that [update_check] enabled is not false.
Delete ~/.config/forge/update_check.json to force a fresh check.

The check cannot reach GitHub

Cause: A firewall, proxy, or DNS issue blocks api.github.com. Forge does not display these errors.

Solution:

Test connectivity:

bash

curl -I https://api.github.com/repos/telerik/forge/releases/latest

Allow outbound HTTPS to api.github.com, or disable the check with FORGE_NO_UPDATE_CHECK=1.