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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about ForgeDocs — pricing, license, Decap CMS, support, and more.

What is ForgeDocs?

ForgeDocs is an all-in-one Astro theme that includes a landing page, Starlight documentation, and a blog in one project. Instead of stitching three separate templates together, you get one codebase, one design system, and one deployment.

Who is ForgeDocs for?

ForgeDocs is built for:

  • SaaS founders who need a marketing site, docs, and blog
  • Indie developers launching a product with documentation
  • Small teams that want a consistent design system
  • Agencies building Astro sites for clients

If you need a full CMS-first workflow or a multi-tenant architecture, ForgeDocs is probably not the right fit. It’s a theme, not a platform.

What’s the difference between Code Only and Code + Decap CMS?

Code Only ($79) — You get the full source code. Edit content directly in Markdown files and JSON data using any text editor.

Code + Decap CMS ($129) — Everything in Code Only, plus Decap CMS pre-configured. Edit all content — landing page, docs, blog, static pages — from a browser admin panel. No coding required.

The $50 difference covers the CMS configuration and setup guide.

Do I need to know how to code?

No. If you choose the Code + Decap CMS package, you can edit every part of your site from the browser. If you choose Code Only, you edit Markdown and JSON files — no coding, just text editing.

You only need to know how to code if you want to customize the design, add new features, or modify the source code.

Can I use ForgeDocs on unlimited projects?

Yes. One purchase covers unlimited personal and commercial projects. There’s no per-site license, no subscription, and no hidden fees.

Can I use ForgeDocs for client work?

Yes. You can use ForgeDocs to build websites for clients. Each client project counts as one of your unlimited projects. You don’t need to purchase a separate license per client.

If your client wants to continue using ForgeDocs after your engagement ends, they should purchase their own license.

Is ForgeDocs a subscription?

No. It’s a one-time purchase. You pay once and use it forever.

What’s included in lifetime updates?

Every future feature, bug fix, and compatibility update is included at no additional cost. When a new version is released, you’ll receive an email from Gumroad with a download link.

We don’t guarantee a specific release schedule, but we do ship updates when there are meaningful improvements.

What version of Astro does ForgeDocs use?

ForgeDocs is built with Astro 7.x and Starlight 0.4x. It tracks the latest stable releases. When Astro releases a new major version, we test and update ForgeDocs to remain compatible.

Does ForgeDocs include a CMS?

Yes — but only in the Code + Decap CMS package. The Code Only package gives you the source code; you edit files directly.

Decap CMS is a Git-based content management system. You edit content in a browser, and Decap commits the changes to your Git repository. Your hosting provider then rebuilds the site automatically.

Can I use a different CMS?

Yes. ForgeDocs works with any Git-based CMS, including:

  • Decap CMS — included in the Code + CMS package
  • Sveltia CMS — modern, lightweight alternative
  • Tina CMS — visual editing with live preview
  • CloudCannon — Git-based visual editor

The content is stored as Markdown and JSON, so any CMS that reads those formats works.

How do I deploy ForgeDocs?

ForgeDocs deploys to any static host:

  • Netlify — recommended for Decap CMS (includes Identity + Git Gateway)
  • Vercel — fast, free tier
  • Cloudflare Pages — fast, unlimited bandwidth
  • Firebase Hosting — Google ecosystem
  • AWS S3 + CloudFront — enterprise
  • cPanel / VPS — full control

See the deployment guides for details.

Do I need a database?

No. ForgeDocs is a static site. All content is stored as files in your Git repository. There’s no database, no server runtime, and no maintenance overhead.

Do I need to pay for hosting?

You can host ForgeDocs for free on Netlify, Vercel, or Cloudflare Pages. All three have generous free tiers that cover most documentation sites.

You only pay for hosting if you outgrow the free tier or need advanced features.

Is ForgeDocs SEO-friendly?

ForgeDocs handles the SEO foundation for you:

  • Meta title and description per page
  • Open Graph tags for social sharing
  • Twitter card support
  • Canonical URLs
  • Sitemap generation
  • Semantic HTML
  • Fast page loads (static HTML)

You fill in the content; the SEO plumbing is already wired up.

Note: We don’t claim a perfect Lighthouse score across every scenario — real sites have real content, images, and third-party scripts. What we provide is a clean foundation.

Does ForgeDocs work with MDX?

Yes. ForgeDocs supports both Markdown (.md) and MDX (.mdx). Use MDX when you need to embed components in your content.

Can I change the design?

Yes. ForgeDocs uses CSS variables for colors, fonts, and spacing. You can rebrand the entire site by editing a few variables in src/styles/landing.css.

For deeper customization, edit the Astro components directly.

Can I add new pages?

Yes. There are three ways:

Static pages — Create a Markdown file in src/content/pages/. The page is rendered automatically at /{filename}.

Docs pages — Create a Markdown file in src/content/docs/. Add it to the sidebar in astro.config.mjs.

Custom Astro pages — Create a .astro file in src/pages/. Full control over the markup.

What about multi-language support?

ForgeDocs is English-only out of the box. Starlight supports i18n, but ForgeDocs doesn’t ship with a second language configured.

If you need multi-language support, you can add it following the Starlight i18n guide.

What’s your refund policy?

All sales are final. Because ForgeDocs is a digital product delivered instantly after purchase, we don’t offer refunds once the source code has been accessed.

Exceptions:

  • Duplicate charge
  • Corrupted file that we can’t replace
  • Product not delivered within 24 hours

See Terms & Conditions for full details.

How do I get support?

Support is provided via email at creativebydre@gmail.com. We aim to respond within 24 hours on business days.

Support covers:

  • Installation questions
  • Bug reports
  • Feature clarifications

Support doesn’t cover custom development work. For that, hire me on Fiverr.

Can I hire you for custom work?

Yes. I take on custom Astro projects — headless CMS integration, custom documentation sites, and full web applications.

Hire me on Fiverr →

What if I get stuck?

Check the documentation first:

If you’re still stuck, email creativebydre@gmail.com.

Can I resell ForgeDocs as my own theme?

No. The license covers unlimited personal and commercial projects, but you cannot resell ForgeDocs as a template, theme, or starter kit.

You also cannot:

  • Share the source code with non-buyers
  • Claim ForgeDocs as your own original work
  • Distribute it in any form

See Terms & Conditions for full license details.

Where can I buy ForgeDocs?

ForgeDocs is available on Gumroad:

Buy ForgeDocs →

Two packages:

  • Code Only — $79
  • Code + Decap CMS — $129