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Introduction

forge is a Django-inspired Go framework that keeps Go's speed and type safety while giving you a batteries-included workflow for web apps.

What is forge?​

forge is a full-stack Go framework for building database-backed apps. You define schemas, and forge gives you:

  • Type-safe ORM and query building
  • Code generation for models, managers, and field expressions
  • An auto-generated admin UI for CRUD workflows
  • A REST API layer with serializers, authentication, and throttling
  • Migrations and CLI tooling for everyday development

Here's a simple blog post model:

type Post struct {
    schema.BaseSchema
}

func (Post) Fields() []schema.Field {
    return []schema.Field{
        schema.Int64Field("id", schema.Primary(), schema.AutoIncrement()),
        schema.StringField("title", schema.Required(), schema.MaxLength(200)),
        schema.TextField("content", schema.Required()),
        schema.BoolField("published", schema.Default(false)),
        schema.TimeField("created_at", schema.AutoNowAdd()),
    }
}

Then query it like this:

posts, err := PostObjects.
    Filter(PostFieldsInstance.Published.Equals(true)).
    OrderBy("-created_at").
    All(ctx)

That's it. No stringly-typed field names and far fewer runtime surprises.

The generated code gives you PostObjects for manager methods and PostFieldsInstance for typed field expressions.

Why forge?​

If you're building internal tools, admin-heavy apps, or REST APIs in Go, forge helps you move fast without giving up Go's strengths.

What you get​

  • Django-like workflow without the dynamic typing surprises
  • Go-first performance with compile-time checks and IDE-friendly types
  • Opinionated, but flexible: override the pieces you need without forks

Where forge fits well​

  • Admin and ops dashboards
  • API-first services with a small number of models
  • CRUD-heavy internal tools that need strong typing and speed

Current status​

forge has solid coverage for core ORM, admin, and API workflows. For a details-first checklist, see the implementation status page.

Getting started​

Ready to try it? Here's where to start:

  1. Install forge - Get it running on your machine
  2. Hello World - Build your first app (takes 5 minutes)
  3. Learn the basics - How forge works under the hood
  4. Check out examples - See real code in action

Want to dive deeper?