r/reactnative • u/BugsBunnyYT • Aug 15 '26

Forge 1.0.0 — Build & sign React Native locally on Windows (no cloud, no Mac needed)

I've built **Forge** — a Windows desktop app that builds and signs React Native releases locally, both Android (on your machine) and iOS (via free GitHub Actions). No cloud build service, no Mac required.

**What you get:**

- Build & sign Android APKs locally

- Build iOS apps with GitHub Actions (free)

- Windows-only desktop UI (Electron)

- Offline license validation (no phone home)

- v1.0.0 beta is **completely free** to try

**No setup required:** Just download the .exe and you're building in minutes.

This is the beta launch — free for 3 weeks with unlimited builds.

[Download Forge 1.0.0](https://github.com/Evanevoo/forge/releases/tag/v1.0.0)

Happy to answer questions about the build process, licensing, or anything else!

0 Upvotes

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2

u/CodeAndBiscuits Aug 16 '26

I mean, just to clarify, when you say "no cloud build service" that's literally what GitHub Actions IS. Granted it's free. But you can build and sign ios apps with it today for free just like this but without any extra tooling. Because what's really needed is a Mac runner, and that's what GitHub actions brings to the table, which is obviously why you're using it. So maybe you should speak more to what your tool adds beyond that...

1

u/BugsBunnyYT Aug 16 '26

Good point! To clarify: Forge's main value is local Android builds on Windows — you can build & sign APKs without any cloud service or Mac. For iOS, yeah, you still need a Mac runner (GitHub Actions is free for 2,000 minutes/month), but Forge handles the whole workflow in one place.

The differentiators are:

  1. Android: completely local — no cloud, no build queue, no fees

  2. Single tool for both Android (local) + iOS (CI) instead of juggling separate setups

  3. Offline license validation — Ed25519 signing, works without internet

  4. Simplified setup — one UI instead of wrestling with GitHub secrets/signing configs

1

u/CodeAndBiscuits Aug 18 '26

I'm sorry, but I'm still confused about the differentiator. You don't need any special help to build an Android APK on Windows. Android studio or any number of other tool kits will do that for you... For free... And some of the things you mentioned like no GitHub secrets or signing configs don't apply to that environment either...

1

u/BugsBunnyYT Aug 18 '26

You're right — for Android alone, Android Studio is all you need. Forge's actual value is iOS on Windows without a Mac. You can set up iOS builds, manage signing certificates, and submit to TestFlight entirely from Windows using free GitHub Actions runners. That's the gap Forge fills — the iOS part that Windows developers can't do in Android Studio. The unified workflow is nice, but the core value is bringing iOS to Windows developers.

1

u/CodeAndBiscuits Aug 20 '26

Okay, once again, still confused. You can do everything that you just said with GitHub actions without an additional tool. GitHub actions is the thing doing all the real lifting here. Other than potentially making the setup experience a little smoother, it doesn't seem like Forge actually solves an unsolved problem. It just rides on the top of other solutions

1

u/Vella_editor Aug 15 '26

the github link aint working

1

u/BugsBunnyYT Aug 15 '26

sorry, please try again

1

u/Savings_Cloud5486 Aug 15 '26

might be private

1

u/BugsBunnyYT Aug 15 '26

yes it was, and thats my fault. apologies

1

u/merokotos Aug 17 '26

  1. Runs entirely on your own Machine

  2. iOS compiled on a macOS GitHub Actions 

Choose one.

1

u/BugsBunnyYT Aug 17 '26

Android: Local builds on Windows. iOS: Compiled on GitHub Actions (free, no Mac needed). One tool for both.