Ask Forge: AI-Powered CLI for Database Schemas

Overview

Ask Forge is an AI-powered assistant for SchemaSmith database schema management. It brings the full SchemaSmith toolchain — schema extraction, deployment, validation, migration generation, and more — into a conversational interface powered by large language models.

Built on the Forge Barrett persona — a master database craftsman — Ask Forge speaks the language of your schemas and understands the SchemaSmith ecosystem from the ground up. It works across SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and MySQL.

With 46 tools organized into 4 tiers, 10 LLM providers, and 3 trust levels, Ask Forge gives you full control over what the assistant can do — from read-only schema exploration to running SchemaSmith tools against live databases.

How It Works

Ask Forge brings AI to your schema workflow through two integration paths — plus direct CLI access when you don't need AI at all.

AI Integration

Run ForgeBarrett.Mcp.exe as an MCP server and connect it to Claude Desktop, VS Code, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client. Your AI reasons over your schema using all 46 tools — with resources and prompts built in.

46 Tools

Resources

Prompts

MCP Setup Guide

Don't use MCP? Ask Forge has its own agent with 10 LLM providers built in — Ollama, OpenAI, Anthropic, and more. Same 46 tools, self-contained.

Conversational schema review
Migration script generation
Natural language queries
No external client required

Configure Providers

Direct CLI Access

Launch ask-forge for a persistent session. Browse schemas, run tools, and manage your database — no AI provider required. Full command history and direct control over all 46 tools.

Run one-off commands from your terminal for scripting and automation: ask-forge review, ask-forge design, ask-forge migrate, ask-forge troubleshoot.

Capabilities at a Glance

Ask Forge organizes its 46 tools into four tiers, from read-only exploration to full external tool execution. Three trust levels control which tiers are accessible.

Tier 1: Read-Only (24 tools) Observer

Schema navigation, data validation (nulls, orphans, duplicates), index analysis, dependency graphing, search, and diff/compare.

View Read-Only tools

Tier 2: Generation (9 tools) Assistant

Migration script generation, change suggestions, schema generation from natural language, and script saving.

View Generation tools

Tier 3: Modification (9 tools) Operator

Apply changes to schema JSON, rename tables and columns, create tables and packages, manage tokens. Requires confirmation.

View Modification tools

Tier 4: External (4 tools) Operator

Execute SchemaTongs, SchemaQuench, and DataTongs against live databases for schema extraction, deployment, and data export. Includes log viewing for external tool output.

View External tools

View all 46 tools

Platforms and Providers

Database Platforms

SQL Server — Full support for all SchemaSmith Enterprise tools
PostgreSQL — Full support for all SchemaSmith Enterprise tools
MySQL — Full support for all SchemaSmith Enterprise tools

10 LLM Providers

Ollama OpenAI Anthropic Azure OpenAI Google Gemini Groq Mistral DeepSeek xAI Custom

Run locally with Ollama or connect to any cloud provider. Configure providers

Get Started with Ask Forge

Documentation

Getting Started — Installation, first run, and quick wins. Setup Configuration — Config file, environment variables, and precedence rules. Config LLM Providers — Configure Ollama, OpenAI, Anthropic, and 7 more. Config Trust Levels — Observer, Assistant, and Operator permission tiers. Security Console & Commands — Interactive REPL and single-command CLI reference. Usage MCP Server Setup — Claude Desktop, VS Code, and other MCP clients. Integration Capabilities — All 46 tools across 4 tiers. Reference Platform Support — SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and MySQL differences. Reference Troubleshooting — Common issues and solutions. Help