Forge is a PHP framework for builders, not followers.

It's not trying to be the next Symfony, CodeIgniter, Laravel, etc. It's not here to please everyone. It's here because I wanted a fast, simple, no-magic framework that puts me in control. That's what Forge is. If that works for you too, welcome.

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

You’re not a user. You’re 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 my direction doesn’t fit yours — fork it, and forge your own path.
• I’ll keep publishing modules and improvements that help me build real-world apps. You’re free to take what helps, ignore what doesn’t.

This isn’t a product. This is a toolbox.

• Simple, fast dependency injection container
• Native PHP view engine with layouts and components
• Modular structure (install only what you need)
• Zero dependencies, zero magic
• Built-in router, database, orm, configuration manager, and more
• Module system with life cycle hooks
• CLI for installing modules, project, scaffold commands etc.

Everything is structured for clarity. No magic files. No guesswork.

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

git clone https://github.com/forge-engine/forge-starter
cd forge-starter
cp env-example .env
php install.php
php forge.php key:generate
php forge.php package:install-project

Forge starts minimal (under 400KB), and you add modules as needed.

php forge.php package:install-module forge-auth
php forge.php package:install-module forge-storage

Or clone from github.com/forge-engine/modules and drop them in /modules.

I publish modules that help me build real-world projects. If something’s too specific, I won’t. Or I’ll release a simplified version.

Do it. I’ll even show you how.
See: FORGING-YOUR-OWN.md

You can rename the CLI, change the bootstrap flow, use your own registry — everything is yours now. That’s the point.

MIT — take it, use it, change it.
Just don’t whine if it’s not what you expected.
Nobody owes you anything. Build your own vision.