Installation Overview
This guide covers installation of the Forge CLI on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Forge releases are published in the public telerik/forge repository.
Warning: Forge is beta software that runs AI coding agents with a high degree of autonomy. Agents can run shell commands, create, edit, and delete files, make Git commits and push changes, and call external services without asking for each action. Install and run Forge in an isolated environment, such as a Dev Container, virtual machine, GitHub Codespace, or disposable development machine. Don't run it on production machines, on systems with production access, or on computers that hold sensitive data. Review agent output before you accept changes.
Prerequisites
- A 64-bit Linux, macOS, or Windows system. See the supported platforms below.
- Internet access to
github.com. - Windows only: PowerShell 7. The built-in Windows PowerShell 5.1 isn't supported. Install PowerShell 7 with
winget install Microsoft.PowerShell, then use thepwshterminal. - Optional: GitHub CLI (
gh). The repository is public, so you don't need to sign in to download releases. The installers usegh,GITHUB_TOKEN, orGH_TOKENwhen available to get higher GitHub API rate limits.
After you install Forge, set up your license before you run workflow commands.
Supported platforms
Supported Windows versions: Windows 11; Windows Server 2019, 2022, and 2025.
| Platform | Binary | Package |
|---|---|---|
| Windows x86_64 | frg-<version>-x86_64-windows.exe | - |
Supported macOS versions: macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Intel and Apple silicon.
| Platform | Binary | Package |
|---|---|---|
| macOS Intel | frg-<version>-x86_64-darwin | - |
| macOS Apple Silicon | frg-<version>-aarch64-darwin | - |
Supported Linux versions: Distributions with glibc 2.39 or later, for example Ubuntu 24.04 or later, Debian 13, current Fedora releases, and RHEL 10.
| Platform | Binary | Package |
|---|---|---|
| Linux x86_64 | frg-<version>-x86_64-linux | .deb, .rpm |
| Linux ARM64 | frg-<version>-aarch64-linux | .deb, .rpm |
| Arch Linux | progress-forge-<version>-arch.tar.gz | PKGBUILD |
To check your glibc version, run ldd --version | head -n1. Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 12, and RHEL 8 and 9 ship an older glibc, so the standard binaries don't run there. Use a newer host or container, or the legacy builds described in Installing on Linux.
Legacy Linux builds cover glibc 2.28 or later (for example Rocky Linux or RHEL 8.x):
frg-<version>-x86_64-linux-legacy,frg-<version>-aarch64-linux-legacy, andprogress-forge-<version>-1.el8.<arch>.rpm.install.shdetects your glibc version and picks the matching build.
Every release also includes install.sh, install.ps1, SHA256SUMS, SHA256SUMS.asc, public-key.asc, and a detached GPG signature (<asset>.asc) for each asset. The macOS binaries are Apple Developer ID signed and notarized. The Windows binary is Authenticode signed.
Choose an installation method
Forge provides several installation methods so you can choose the approach that best fits your operating system, permissions, and maintenance requirements.
| Method | Use when |
|---|---|
| Installer script | Most users. The script detects your platform, verifies the checksum, and installs Forge. |
| Linux package | You manage software with apt or dnf. |
| Manual binary | You manage the executable yourself, or you distribute it internally. |
| Container | You run Forge inside Docker or Podman. See Container Deployment. |
Choose the article for your operating system to review its supported platforms, installation methods, prerequisites, commands, and verification steps:
- Install on Windows: x86_64 Windows 10 and 11 client systems, plus Windows Server 2016-2025.
- Install on macOS: Intel x86_64 and Apple Silicon ARM64 Macs.
- Install on Linux: x86_64 and ARM64 systems, including standard and legacy glibc assets, Debian and Ubuntu packages, RPM-based packages, and Arch Linux packages.
Common installer options
install.sh | install.ps1 | Description |
|---|---|---|
--stable | -Stable | Install the latest stable release (default). |
--pre-release | -PreRelease | Install the latest pre-release. |
--version X.Y.Z | -Version X.Y.Z | Install a specific version, for example 0.1.0. |
--install-dir DIR | -InstallDir DIR | Install directory for the binary. Default: /usr/local/bin (Linux/macOS), C:\Program Files\Forge (Windows). Doesn't apply to Linux package installs. |
--skip-verify | -SkipVerify | Skip SHA256 checksum verification. Not recommended. |
--force-binary | — | Install the standalone binary even when a Linux package manager is available. |
--quiet, -q | -Quiet | Minimal output. Errors and warnings are still shown. |
--dry-run | -DryRun | Show what would be installed, without installing. |
-h, --help | Get-Help .\install.ps1 | Show usage. |
To pass options through a curl pipe, add sh -s -- before them:
curl -fsSL https://github.com/telerik/forge/releases/latest/download/install.sh | sh -s -- --version 4.6.0 --install-dir ~/.local/binThe installers also read these environment variables. In install.sh, environment variables take precedence over command-line options.
| Variable | Description | Script |
|---|---|---|
FORGE_VERSION | Version to install. | Both |
FORGE_CHANNEL | stable or prerelease. | Both |
FORGE_INSTALL_PATH | Install directory. | Both |
FORGE_SKIP_VERIFY | true skips checksum verification. | install.sh |
GITHUB_TOKEN, GH_TOKEN | Optional GitHub token for higher API rate limits. | Both |
Both installers use the same exit codes, which helps in CI:
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
0 | Success |
1 | General error, such as an invalid argument |
2 | Unsupported platform |
3 | Authentication failure |
4 | Network or download failure |
5 | Verification failure |
6 | Installation failure, such as missing permissions |
Verify the installation
Open a new terminal and run:
frg --versionExpected output for this release:
frg 0.1.0Next, set up your license. Then use Interactive Configuration to configure an agent, project metadata, and development tools in one guided setup.