Forge - Stop Losing Your Scripture Insights

Why I Built This

I kept losing my insights in scattered notebooks and apps

After years of Bible study, I had highlights everywhere but understanding nowhere. Notes buried in journals. Insights trapped in apps that shut down or paywalled features.

I wanted to see connections across Scripture, not just read linearly. I wanted my notes on my computer, not locked in someone's cloud. So I built Forge.

One person, solving a problem I actually have. If it helps you too, that's the goal.

0

Subscriptions required

100%

Local data ownership

66

Books to connect

How It Works

Three steps from question
to connected understanding

01

Open Any Passage

No reading plans. No guilt about skipping days. Just open the passage you want to wrestle with.

Built-in Bible viewer with clean, distraction-free interface. Search any book, jump to any chapter. Read at your own pace.

Forge's book search showing searchable list of Bible books with chapter counts

02

Capture One Insight at a Time

Stop highlighting everything. Start building something. Each insight becomes one focused card.

Saw something important? Create a note. One observation, one interpretation, one application per card. Simple markdown files you can open anywhere.

Creating a note in Forge: 'Spiritual things are more real than physical things' from Colossians 3

03

Watch Connections Emerge Visually

Your scattered thoughts become a connected web. See patterns you missed.

Note icons appear right in the Bible text wherever you've captured insights. Connect Genesis to Romans. Link themes across books. Your understanding grows visually.

Forge timeline showing captured insights over time with Bible references

Is This For You?

This might help if you:

Finish reading and can't remember what grabbed you

Have studied passages before but can't find your notes

Want to see connections across Scripture, not just read linearly

Prefer tools that respect your data ownership

Think better on desktop than on your phone

Philosophy

Desktop first, depth first

Meaningful study needs focus. I started on desktop because building connected understanding requires dedicated time and space, not phone apps optimized for streaks. Your insights deserve better than a 5-inch screen.

No Cloud Lock-In

Your notes live on your computer.
Not locked in someone's cloud.

Plain Markdown Files

Every note is a simple .md file on your computer. Open it in any text editor. Move it anywhere. Export to Obsidian, Notion, or anything else. It's yours.

Works Offline Forever

No internet required. No "server shutting down" panic. Study on a plane, in the mountains, anywhere. Always fast, always yours.

Free Forever

No subscriptions. No paywalls. No "premium features." Download once, use forever. Your insights shouldn't have a monthly fee.

Questions

Everything you need to know

What Bible translations does Forge include?

Currently BSB (Berean Standard Bible) and KJV (King James Version). Translation import is coming soon so you can use any text you want.

Mac only? What about Windows?

Mac first (macOS 12+). Windows version is in development. Focusing on getting desktop right before mobile.

Where exactly are my notes stored?

In a folder on your computer that you choose during setup. Plain markdown (.md) files. You can back them up, sync them with iCloud/Dropbox, or move them anytime.

Can I export my notes?

They're already exported. Your notes are markdown files on your computer. Open them in Obsidian, Notion, VS Code, or any text editor. No lock-in.

Will this project be maintained?

Yes. This is a long-term project born from personal need. Check the blog for updates. Since your notes are local files, they'll work even if development stops.

Do I need an account?

No. Download, install, start studying. No email, no password, no accounts.

Ready to stop losing
your insights?

Download for macOS

Free forever. macOS 12+. No account needed.

1

Download and install

2

Open any passage

3

Create your first note

Stop Losing Your Scripture Insights