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Stable Diffusion WebUI Forge
What Stable Diffusion WebUI Forge is
Stable Diffusion WebUI Forge is a free, open-source platform built on Stable Diffusion WebUI for creating and editing images. It supports text-to-image generation, reference images, image editing, and API access, with PNG, JPG, JPEG, WebP, AVIF, and GIF as listed output formats. Its stated goals include making development easier, managing resources more efficiently, improving inference speed, and exploring experimental features. The interface is based on Gradio, and the project includes a GPU memory management system. Its listed components include LoRAs, ControlNets, IP-Adapters, Instant-IDs, reference-only methods, and extensions. Forge natively supports several Flux BitsandBytes and GGUF variants, with GPU weight and swap controls; LoRA support applies to specified variants. The README lists txt2img and img2img API endpoints as normal, while improved Flux support is pending. Users can install through a one-click package that includes Git and Python, use launch scripts for Windows, shell environments, or macOS, or install from source. Forge can also be installed as another SD-WebUI branch to reuse existing checkpoints and extensions. The project is under construction, so its documentation, interface, and functionality may change. It is licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Who it suits
Forge suits people who want a self-installed image generation and editing platform with reference-image workflows, API access, and support for multiple output formats. It may also fit users who want to work with SD-WebUI checkpoints and extensions or explore the listed Flux variants.
What it does well
- Free and open-source under the AGPL-3.0 license.
- Supports text-to-image, reference images, and image editing.
- Offers txt2img and img2img API endpoints.
- Includes GPU memory management among its components.
- One-click installation package includes Git and Python.
What to know first
- Project documentation, interface, and functionality may change during construction.
- Flux and Union ControlNets are marked as not yet implemented.
- OFT LoRAs are marked broken pending a fix.
- Microsoft Surface canvas touch pressure support is marked broken pending a fix.
Limits
The free plan is self-installed software and is listed as free. Compatibility notes say Flux and Union ControlNets are not yet implemented, OFT LoRAs and Microsoft Surface canvas touch pressure support are broken pending fixes, and improved Flux API support is pending.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | self-installed software · one-click package includes Git and Python · CUDA 12.1 + PyTorch 2.3.1 recommended | Free |
As github.com lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the project website on GitHub.
- Choose the one-click installation package, which includes Git and Python.
- Use the Windows batch launch scripts, shell scripts, or macOS environment script for the relevant environment.
- Alternatively, install from source or install Forge as another SD-WebUI branch if proficient with Git.
- Use the listed txt2img or img2img API endpoints for programmatic workflows.
Verdict
Choose Forge if you want free, open-source image generation and editing with reference workflows, API endpoints, and options to reuse SD-WebUI checkpoints and extensions. Look elsewhere if you need stable project behavior or rely on the listed unsupported or broken compatibility items.
Questions
How much does Forge cost?
The Free plan is listed as free. The pricing model is free, and the project is open source.
What platforms and installation options are listed?
Listed platforms include API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows. Installation options include a one-click package with Git and Python, environment-specific scripts, and installation from source.
What image workflows does it support?
Forge supports text-to-image generation, reference images, and image editing. Its listed components include ControlNets, IP-Adapters, Instant-IDs, and reference-only methods.
Does Forge provide API access?
Yes. The README lists txt2img and img2img API endpoints as normal, with improved Flux support pending.
What is the license?
The repository identifies the license as AGPL-3.0.
Can I reuse existing SD-WebUI checkpoints and extensions?
Yes. Forge can be installed as another SD-WebUI branch to reuse existing checkpoints and extensions.
Facts from Stable Diffusion WebUI Forge's own pages
- Advanced installation
- Users proficient with Git can install Forge as another SD-WebUI branch and reuse their existing checkpoints and extensions. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- API
- The README lists txt2img and img2img API endpoints as normal in its status table, with improved Flux support pending. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- API access
- Yes · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- API status
- The README marked txt2img and img2img API endpoints normal, with improved Flux support pending, in a status entry last tested in August 2024. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Compatibility limits
- The README marks ControlNets Union and Flux as not yet implemented, OFT LoRAs as broken pending a fix, and Microsoft Surface canvas pressure support as broken pending a fix. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Compatibility status
- The README's manually tested status table says Microsoft Surface canvas touch pressure support was broken pending a fix, and Flux and Union ControlNets were not yet implemented; those entries were last tested in 2024. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Extension ecosystem
- The project maintains a discussion thread for extension makers to list extensions and replacements for Forge. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Flux support
- The README states that several Flux BitsandBytes and GGUF variants are natively supported with GPU weight and swap controls, and that some variants support LoRA. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Image editing
- Yes · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Image workflows
- The README lists txt2img and img2img API endpoints, ControlNet, IP-Adapters, Instant-IDs, reference-only methods, and integrated extensions among its status-tested components. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The README offers a one-click installation package that includes Git and Python. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Integration
- The README says Forge can be installed as another SD-WebUI branch to reuse existing checkpoints and extensions. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Interface
- The project says Stable Diffusion WebUI is based on Gradio. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository identifies its license as AGPL-3.0. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Models and extensions
- The README lists LoRAs, ControlNets, IP-Adapters, Instant-IDs, reference-only methods, and integrated and popular extensions among its components. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Model support
- The README says Flux BitsandBytes NF4 and several GGUF quantizations are natively supported, with LoRA support for specified NF4 and GGUF variants. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Output formats
- PNG,JPG,JPEG,WebP,AVIF,GIF · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Pricing
- The opened project page describes downloadable installation packages but does not state a price or list paid plans. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Project status
- The README says Forge is under construction and that its documentation, UI, and functionality may change with updates. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Forge is a platform built on Stable Diffusion WebUI and Gradio to ease development, optimize resource management, speed up inference, and study experimental features. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Reference images
- Yes · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Resource management
- The README lists a GPU memory management system among Forge components it manually tested. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Security
- The repository's Security page is titled Overview and provides no security or compliance details in the opened page. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Support
- The maintainer invites users to open issues for problems and says they will check them every several days. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
Where Stable Diffusion WebUI Forge stands on Freedom251
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