Forge Build System VS Code Extension

Official VS Code extension for Forge - a high-performance C++ dependency-aware mini build system.

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/Shanit-Singhal/Forge-Build-System

How to Use This Extension in Any C++ Project

Step 1: Install Forge CLI Binary (One-Time Setup)

To let Forge run from any folder, copy the forge binary executable to /usr/local/bin:

sudo cp build/forge /usr/local/bin/

(Now forge is accessible globally from any terminal directory).

Step 2: Add a forge.conf to Your C++ Project Root

In any external project folder (e.g. ~/Desktop/my_cpp_project), create a file named forge.conf:

compiler = clang++
flags = -std=c++17 -Wall
sources = src/main.cpp src/math.cpp
includes = include
output = build/my_program

Step 3: Run Extension Commands inside VS Code

Open your project folder in VS Code. The extension automatically detects forge.conf. You can now:

• Click [⚙️ Forge: Build] or [📊 Forge: Graph] on the bottom status bar.
• Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) and type Forge: Build Project.

Features

• Integrated Build Pipeline: Execute forge build directly inside VS Code with real-time colored output logs.
• Multithreaded Parallel Builds: Specify thread count (-j N) for parallel compilation tasks.
• Clean Artifacts: Quickly remove compiled .o object files and target executables (forge clean).
• Dependency Graph Tree: Visualize your C++ project #include dependency graph as an ASCII tree (forge graph).
• Status Bar Integration: Convenient quick-action status bar buttons (⚙️ Forge: Build and 📊 Forge: Graph).

Extension Commands

Access these commands from the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P):