FAQ
What Forsion is, whether it is local-first, what format your data is in, whether you can use your own models, what it costs and which platforms it runs on.
What is Forsion?
Forsion (扶桑) is a local-first second-brain workbench. Notes, databases, calendar and files live in one place, for your work and for the rest of your life. Add the plugins and Spaces you need, shape it your way, and hand the repeat jobs to automations and agents. It ships with its own agent (Tangu) and also works with the Claude Code, Codex and models you already use.
Is Forsion an AI agent?
Not just that. Forsion is where your work lives: your files, memory and routines stay here. Agents are the helpers doing the work on it. Use the built-in one or switch to Claude Code or Codex; swap the agent and everything is still there.
Is Forsion local-first?
Yes. On desktop (macOS, Windows), your vault is a folder you choose, and notes, databases and whiteboards are ordinary files in it. Local AI conversations are stored in a database on your computer, and agent memories are Markdown files. Local features work without signing in.
Once you sign in, only the separate cloud vault and content you mark for sync go to our servers; your main local vault is not uploaded as a whole. Agent memories and logs sync to your account after each turn, so you can pick up on another device.
What format is my data in? Can I take it with me?
Notes are Markdown (.md). Databases are JSON text files with a .db extension. Whiteboards are .excalidraw.md, the same format as the Excalidraw plugin for Obsidian. All of your notes, databases and whiteboards are in that folder, so there is nothing to export: just copy it. AI conversations and agent memory are kept separately in Forsion's data folder.
The database structure is Forsion's own, so other apps can open the text but will not show it as a table. See Data format and leaving.
Can I use my own API key or a local model?
Yes. Use Forsion-hosted models, or add your own API key, any OpenAI-compatible endpoint or a local Ollama. You can also sign in with a ChatGPT (Codex) or xAI Grok subscription, in local sessions only.
Does it work with Claude Code and Codex?
Yes. On desktop, Forsion connects to Claude Code, Codex and other external agents installed on your computer through ACP (Agent Client Protocol), in the same conversation view as the built-in agent. External agents are available in local sessions only.
Is it free? What does a membership pay for?
Using Forsion locally is free. A membership mainly pays for hosted model quota that works as soon as you sign in. It also brings more cloud storage and lets you share and publish more pages.
Which platforms does it run on? Is there an iPhone app?
macOS (Apple Silicon only), Windows, Android, and Forsion Web in the browser. There is no iOS app yet; on iPhone and iPad, use Forsion Web.
Forsion Web is a cloud client: notes live in your account's cloud vault and AI conversations run on our servers. Android also uses the cloud vault by default and can switch to a local vault stored on the phone.
Can I install plugins or build my own?
Yes. Everything in the plugin marketplace is reviewed before it is listed. Plugins can add views and Spaces to your workbench and tools for agents. The developer guides are in the docs center, starting from Plugins; submit your GitHub repository and it is listed once it passes review.
Who makes Forsion?
杭州酿诗山科技有限责任公司, a company in Hangzhou, China. Website forsion.net, email support@forsion.net. Every release is described in What's new.