What this is
Forge IDE is a complete numerical computing environment - 29 toolboxes, 817 functions, 1,992 validated tests against Octave. The engine is in good shape. The desktop IDE itself is still stabilizing - I want to find and fix the rough edges before charging anyone.
For now, Pro licenses (normally $29/year, $9/year academic) are issued for free to a limited number of alpha testers.
Why checkout is in sandbox mode
The full $29 Pro and $9 academic checkout flows are wired up and functional, but they are running against Stripe's sandbox right now. I am not collecting real payments yet. The flow is in place so I can verify the entire user path - including .edu verification, license generation, and download delivery - before anyone is asked to put money in. Clicking Get Forge Pro will open the modal and walk you through the flow against the sandbox. Nothing real happens.
If you want to use Forge today, the way in is the alpha program below.
What I ask of alpha testers
- Use Forge for real work, ideally something you would otherwise do in Octave or the commercial numerical computing platform.
- Report bugs - especially IDE crashes, install issues, anything weird - to info@thecommons.cc.
- Tolerate occasional rough edges. It is an alpha; it will sometimes irritate you. The engine itself is stable and well tested, but the IDE around it is the moving target.
- Tell me what is missing or what would change your decision to use this over alternatives. I do not need a long writeup - even a one-line "this is where I stalled out" is useful.
What you get
- A free Pro license, manually issued. Same Pro IDE everyone else will pay for, just gratis during alpha.
- A direct line to me for issues. I respond personally.
- Updates as the IDE stabilizes - new builds and fixes flow through the auto-update channel.
- No commitment to convert to paid when alpha ends. If you decide it is not for you, no harm.
How to apply
Email info@thecommons.cc with the subject Forge alpha access.
Tell me a bit about what you would use Forge for. It does not need to be much - a sentence or two is enough. I am trying to prioritize testers across different use cases (signal processing, control systems, image processing, finite elements, etc.), so a quick description helps me make sure the alpha covers the kinds of work the IDE actually needs to handle.
I will respond with a license key and download link, usually within a couple of days. If I am at capacity, I will tell you and add you to the list.
If you would rather watch from the sidelines, the blog covers what is happening as it happens, and the Forge deep dive covers what is in the engine today. The build narrative covers how Forge was put together with AI under V-model discipline, which may give you a sense of what kind of software this actually is.