ForgeTrail docs

Try

Prove ForgeTrail in one sitting: write a what, not how spec, drop it next to ForgeTrail Lite, and let your coding agent forge the path and keep the trail.

You need: any LLM chat and any coding agent that reads files.

You do not need: Node, MCP, or forgetrail on PATH.

Important: Use a new empty project folder. Do not run this inside a clone of the ForgeTrail methodology repo.

Recipe

  1. Copy the Genesis prompt into ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, or a local Ollama UI.
  2. Save the result as docs/GENESIS.md in a new empty folder.
  3. Add Lite: save FORGETRAIL_LITE.md as .forgetrail/FORGETRAIL_LITE.md, or pnpm dlx forgetrail install --lite --with-genesis-stub.
  4. Paste this kickoff line into your coding agent:

Follow .forgetrail/FORGETRAIL_LITE.md as the project protocol. Treat docs/GENESIS.md as the product spec (what, not how). Create appledger/ (manifest, profile, application record, session record) and draft docs/PHASE_1_BRIEF.md from the Genesis file, asking me only about gaps. Do not scaffold application code until I explicitly approve the Phase 1 brief.

  1. Approve the Phase 1 brief before any app scaffold.

What “it worked” looks like

  • .forgetrail/FORGETRAIL_LITE.md is present
  • docs/GENESIS.md is present
  • appledger/profiles/forgetrail.yaml and a session record exist
  • docs/PHASE_1_BRIEF.md is drafted (or clearly in progress)
  • The agent asked for approval before scaffolding

Stuck? Open a Try ForgeTrail checklist issue.

The same recipe lives in TRY_FORGETRAIL.md on GitHub. Short kickoff: Try. What the next session reads: Continuity.

Required on this path: the Lite file, a Genesis spec or the §5 intake, an appledger/ ledger, and a Phase 1 brief you approve. Situational: Node (only if you use the CLI), MCP, and a full template tree.

The CLI can place the Lite file and hooks. The agent creates the ledger. Those writes are not automatic.

Graduation

  1. Stay on Lite for small tools. Enough for many projects.
  2. Add MCP when you live in Cursor or Claude and want tools in the IDE.
  3. Full _forgetrail/ only when you need vendored templates: pnpm dlx forgetrail install.

Lite, CLI, and MCP compared: Introduction.