contextforge-cli

ContextForge scans your codebase, detects conventions, and generates a .context.md file that AI-powered IDEs (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code Copilot) read automatically. It also runs as an MCP server, giving those IDEs live access to your project's conventions, prior decisions, and relevant context through four purpose-built tools.

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# Install globally
npm install -g contextforge

# In your project root
contextforge init

init does three things in one shot:

1. Bootstraps .contextforge/ (config, decisions log, MCP server registration)
2. Scans your codebase — detects languages, frameworks, naming conventions, import style, test patterns
3. Generates .context.md + the IDE-specific file for your detected editor

When run interactively, init walks you through three prompts:

1. IDE selection — choose from the supported list if --ide is not passed
2. Slash command templates — apply all five templates to your IDE's command directory
3. `.gitignore` — add all generated files (.contextforge/, .mcp.json, IDE files) to .gitignore

To skip prompts in CI or scripts, use flags directly:

contextforge init --ide claude-code --templates --gitignore

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| Command | Description | |---|---| | contextforge init | Full bootstrap + scan + generate. Prompts interactively to apply templates and add to .gitignore. Flags: --force (re-scan even if fresh), --ide <target> (override IDE detection), --templates (skip prompts, apply templates), --gitignore (skip prompts, add to .gitignore). | | contextforge serve | Start the MCP stdio server (used by IDE MCP integrations). | | contextforge status | Show context freshness, last updated, detected IDE, and section list. | | contextforge switch <ide> | Re-write the IDE-specific file from the existing .context.md without re-scanning. | | contextforge audit | Health check: context freshness, IDE file, s