ThinkForge is a Windows desktop environment for project-based knowledge work. It keeps documents, search, reusable context, agents, automations, and capture tools connected to the same local project instead of scattering them across unrelated apps and browser tabs.
The desktop application is the center of the system. The Chrome extension, Power Strip, Floating Navigator, and MCP server are additional surfaces connected to the same projects.
Local Projects
A ThinkForge project is a normal folder on disk. Your documents remain ordinary files that can be opened, copied, backed up, and managed outside ThinkForge.
Each initialized project also has a hidden .fire/ folder holding ThinkForge configuration, workspace state, the search index, cache data, and internal trash. Imported material and captures normally arrive in the visible _captured/ folder.
ThinkForge can create projects inside its configured projects root, or link an existing folder as an external project.
Project Navigator
Project Navigator is the pinned primary workspace inside the main application window. It combines project browsing with Files, Overview, Workspace, Insights, and Clusters views.
The folder tree provides Smart Clipboard, Workspaces, Pinned, Shortcuts, Recents, Tags, Folders, Tool Library, Automations, and Trash.
Search and SK Memory
ThinkForge indexes supported text documents in a project-local index. Embeddings are generated on your machine, so semantic search does not send project documents to a hosted service.
Search can combine keyword matching, semantic similarity, tags, and project context. Binary files such as PDFs, images, and videos can be browsed, but the general project index does not extract and index their contents automatically.
Documents and Editors
ThinkForge routes documents to an editor or viewer based on file type:
- Markdown, HTML, and RTF use the rich-text editor.
- Code and plain-text formats use the code editor.
- CSV and TSV use a table view.
- Images and PDFs use the media surface.
- Supported videos open in a video window.
Unknown extensions fall back to the code editor in plain-text mode when opened directly, although the project browser intentionally shows only its supported browsable extensions.
Power Strip
Power Strip is the floating desktop command bar. It keeps capture actions, project access, sidecar panels, agents, automations, and Chrome-aware commands available above other applications.
It also provides an optional AI Activity sidecar for completed MCP document changes and a fixed Activity view for Tool and automation runs.
Floating Navigator
Floating Navigator is the detached, always-available form of Project Navigator's folder tree. It provides project-tree access without bringing the full main window forward.
It does not include Project Navigator's center views or main info panel. Selecting a document opens a separate content modal beside the navigator.
Agents, Tools, and Automations
A ThinkForge Agent Tool is a saved tool that runs a fixed, ordered list of skills. Each tool carries its own instructions, model and settings, input and output configuration, and deployment scope.
Primary inputs are resolved when the tool runs. Saved deployment References are stored and displayed but are not currently used during execution.
Agent Tools can run from the Tools page, from Power Strip, from tool triggers, inside automations, from the mobile companion, and through a limited fire-and-forget command in the Chrome extension. Available input, interaction, output, and history behavior differs by surface.
ThinkForge MCP does not currently offer general agent listing or execution to AI clients.
Agent Tools execute their steps in order. There is no branching between steps in this release.
Automations sequence several tools on a visual canvas and deploy project-local scripts. Automation execution is sequential; visual branches and document cards do not create runtime conditions or alternate paths.
AI-backed steps require a configured provider profile and API credential. Deterministic file, text, and data skills do not require an AI request.
Voice to Text is a separate local transcription workflow. It uses an optional local Whisper model for desktop recordings and for recordings sent from the paired Android app.
Chrome Extension
The ThinkForge Chrome extension connects browser work to the desktop project system. It captures supported AI conversations, pages, selections, and browser context.
During the beta, the extension is installed as an unpacked Chrome extension. ThinkForge must be running for desktop imports, project access, and Power Strip Browser Commands.
ThinkForge MCP
ThinkForge exposes project knowledge through a local Model Context Protocol server on localhost:3001. Connected AI clients can search projects, read and update documents safely, inspect memory, and use the other tools the running server exposes.
The desktop app remains the authority for active projects, project paths, indexing, and safe document writes.
Privacy and Network Boundaries
Project files, configuration, indexes, and embeddings are stored locally. Network access is still used for the closed-beta status check, configured AI providers, optional account services, connected external APIs, and browser or client integrations that communicate beyond the machine. The beta check sends no account, device, or project data and starts normally when unreachable unless the app previously received a disabled state.
"Local-first" describes project ownership and storage. It does not mean every optional feature is fully offline.
Current Beta Boundaries
ThinkForge's beta is Windows-focused. Several integrations depend on Windows behavior, including global hotkeys and foreground-application detection.
The Chrome extension is optional. Core project browsing, editing, search, Power Strip desktop actions, and local document organization work without it. AI execution depends on the providers and credentials you configure.
See Getting Started for initial setup.