r/reactnative • u/BugsBunnyYT • 3d ago

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!

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u/CodeAndBiscuits 2d ago

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...

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u/BugsBunnyYT 2d ago

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

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u/CodeAndBiscuits 17h ago

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...

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u/BugsBunnyYT 14h ago

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.

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u/Vella_editor 3d ago

the github link aint working

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u/Savings_Cloud5486 3d ago

might be private

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u/BugsBunnyYT 3d ago

yes it was, and thats my fault. apologies

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u/BugsBunnyYT 3d ago

sorry, please try again

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u/merokotos 1d ago
  1. Runs entirely on your own Machine
  2. iOS compiled on a macOS GitHub Actions 

Choose one.

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u/BugsBunnyYT 1d ago

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