ForgeFlow/docs/UPDATING.md

Updating ForgeFlow on Windows

ForgeFlow stores its local token, server credentials, repository mappings, preferences, deployment profiles, diagnostics and operation history outside the source directory.

Manual update to v0.4.0

1. Close ForgeFlow.
2. Extract the v0.4.0 update package.
3. Copy the contents of its ForgeFlow folder over the existing source folder.
4. Do not create ForgeFlow\ForgeFlow.
5. Open PowerShell in the existing folder.
6. Run:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process Bypass
.\update-windows.ps1

The script installs the new ssh2 dependency, runs the environment doctor, verifies the source and executes all tests before starting ForgeFlow.

Built-in updates after v0.4.0

Open Settings → ForgeFlow updates.

The default source is:

Gitea instance: the instance already configured in ForgeFlow
Repository:      Jens/ForgeFlow
Branch:          main

The repository must contain a newer semantic version in package.json.

Choose:

1. Check now
2. Download update
3. Apply & restart

The source updater downloads the exact branch commit, records a SHA-256 checksum, backs up the installed source, applies the archive, runs npm install and npm run check, and restarts ForgeFlow. When validation fails it restores the previous source and starts that version again.

The update log is written beneath ForgeFlow's local user-data updates folder and does not contain the Gitea token.

The updater deliberately checks the semantic version stored in the remote package.json. Merely pushing a new commit without increasing that version does not present an update. Publish the complete validated ForgeFlow source to the configured repository and bump the version for every release.

Publishing v0.5.1 from a Downloads folder

Extract the complete release and run Publish-ForgeFlow-Release.ps1. The script validates the source, clones Jens/ForgeFlow into a temporary directory, mirrors the verified source, commits it and pushes main. Keep the currently running older ForgeFlow source folder untouched; use its Settings → Updates screen to test the exact-commit download, validation, rollback and restart path.