#Connecting an existing repository to the Forge
To get started with the Forge, you connect the GitHub repository you want maintained. This works the same way as connecting GitHub anywhere else in OCNexus: you approve access, and you can see exactly what you are approving (see "Connecting your GitHub account").
Once connected, the Forge takes an initial look at your repository to understand its structure and the languages it is written in. This first pass is just to build a picture of your code — it does not change anything yet.
You choose which repository to connect, and you can disconnect at any time. Connecting a repository never means giving up control of it — your code stays yours, and every change is still approved by you.
#Connecting your GitHub account
OCNexus works through GitHub. GitHub is where your app's code lives and how you sign in, so connecting your GitHub account is what lets OCNexus build and update your app for you.
The first time you connect, GitHub asks you to approve access. Approve it so OCNexus can create your app's code and save changes as it works. You are always shown what you are approving.
If a build cannot save its changes, or you see a permissions or access error, your GitHub connection has usually expired or access was removed. Reconnecting and re-approving access fixes this in almost every case.
You stay in control: you can review or remove OCNexus's access to GitHub at any time from your GitHub account settings. If reconnecting does not clear the problem, contact support with your app name.
#Does my app work on phones and tablets?
Yes. The apps OCNexus builds run in a web browser, which means they work on a phone, a tablet, or a computer — anywhere with a browser and an internet connection. There is nothing for you or your users to download or install.
OCNexus builds apps that are made to look right and work well whether someone opens them on a small phone screen or a large monitor, so your customers get a clean experience on whatever device they are using.
When you share your app, you are sharing a simple link. Anyone you send it to can open it on their own device and start using it right away.
#Getting started: building your first app
Getting started is as simple as describing what you want. You do not need a spec, a wireframe, or any technical detail — just tell OCNexus, in plain English, what you would like your app to do.
Here is the whole flow: 1. Describe your idea in your own words. 2. Answer a few short questions so OCNexus understands exactly what you need. 3. Review a quick summary of what it is going to build. 4. Give the go-ahead, and OCNexus builds, tests, and ships it.
You can start small — a simple first version — and grow it from there. The best first idea is a real one you actually want, described the way you would explain it to a friend. OCNexus takes it from there.
#Improving or fixing an app you already have
OCNexus does not only build new apps from scratch — it can also work on an app you already have. Connect your project, and OCNexus can review it for bugs, security issues, and rough edges, then fix what it finds.
This is useful when something is not working right, when you want a health-check on an existing app, or when you just want it improved. OCNexus looks through the app, tells you in plain language what it found, and can go ahead and fix the issues for you.
You stay in control of what gets changed. Review the findings, decide what you want fixed, and OCNexus handles the work — the same way it does for a brand new build.
#Signing in and fixing sign-in problems
OCNexus uses your GitHub account to sign in. That means there is no separate OCNexus password to create, remember, or reset — you log in with GitHub, and GitHub handles the password.
If you cannot sign in, work through these in order: - Make sure you are signed in to GitHub in the same browser. - Confirm you are using the same GitHub account you originally signed up with. If you have more than one GitHub account, it is easy to land on the wrong one. - If you forgot your GitHub password, reset it on GitHub directly — OCNexus cannot reset it for you because it is not an OCNexus password. - If you signed in before and it suddenly stops working, OCNexus may need you to re-approve access to GitHub. See "Connecting your GitHub account".
If you have tried these and still cannot get in, contact support and we will help you get back into your account.
#SSE Connection Issues — Live Progress Not Updating
OCNexus uses Server-Sent Events (SSE) to stream live pipeline progress to your browser. If the progress display is not updating, here is what to check.
**The run is still executing — SSE is display only:** An SSE disconnection does not stop the pipeline. The run continues in the backend. Refresh the page and check Runs for the current status before assuming anything is broken.
**Common causes of SSE disconnects:**
*Network interruption:* Any brief network blip will break the SSE stream. This is expected — SSE requires a persistent connection. Refresh to reconnect.
*Browser tab backgrounded:* Some browsers throttle or kill SSE connections for background tabs. Keep the OCNexus tab in focus during a run if you need live progress.
*Corporate proxy or firewall:* Some enterprise network configurations buffer or terminate long-lived HTTP connections, which breaks SSE. If you are on a corporate network and SSE never works, try on a different network to confirm. Contact your IT team about allowing persistent HTTP connections to uss-api.lumeniq.ai.
*Nginx / proxy timeout:* If OCNexus is deployed behind a proxy, the proxy may have a read timeout shorter than a long pipeline run. This is a configuration issue — contact support@ocnexus.dev if you believe this is the case.
**If SSE never works at all:** Try a different browser. If it works in one browser but not another, it is a browser extension or setting causing the issue (ad blockers, privacy extensions sometimes block SSE).
#What the Forge looks for in your code
Think of the Forge as a careful second pair of eyes on your codebase, watching for the kinds of problems that tend to cause trouble later if nobody catches them early.
In plain terms, it looks for things like: reliability risks — code that could break under real-world use; security issues, such as a secret key accidentally left in the code or a spot where bad input could sneak through and cause harm; files that have grown so large they are hard to safely change; error handling that quietly hides a problem instead of surfacing it; and dependencies that are not pinned to a specific, tested version, which can cause your app to behave differently without warning.
Today the Forge understands JavaScript/TypeScript and Python codebases, with more languages planned over time (see "Which repositories can I connect to the Forge?"). Whatever it finds, it explains in plain language — you decide what matters and what gets fixed.
#Which repositories can I connect to the Forge?
The Forge works with a GitHub repository you already have. It does not need to be an app OCNexus originally built for you — an existing codebase from anywhere is a valid starting point.
Today, the Forge understands JavaScript/TypeScript and Python codebases, so it can find and fix issues in projects written in those languages. Support for additional languages is planned over time (see "What the Forge looks for in your code").
Not sure if your particular repository is a good fit? Contact support and describe your project, and we will let you know plainly whether the Forge is ready for it today.