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About Syntax Forge
Syntax Forge is an independent studio shipping local-first desktop applications and command-line utilities for Linux, Windows and macOS. No accounts, no subscriptions, no telemetry.
What the studio makes
Each tool does one job and runs on your own machine. It keeps your data there, makes a network request only when a feature you use needs one, and never reports usage back.
The first tool is Finger, which approves sudo on Linux with your Android phone’s fingerprint sensor. Finger 1.1.1 is available on the Download page. Everything else is still in the workshop and is listed here only once it is finished.
How buying works
- You pay once. Checkout, VAT and sales tax are run by our Merchant of Record, Polar.sh, which also issues your receipt. If a tool page also offers Stripe, that option is marked: on it Syntax Forge is the seller.
- Your files and signed license key file are delivered by the seller. There is no account to create on this site. What the license allows is on the Licensing page.
- For Merchant of Record orders, receipts, license keys, downloads and refunds are handled in its customer portal.
Release verification
Download all three artifacts and the plain-text SHA256SUMS manifest from Download. Before running an installer or binary, check them in the folder you downloaded to:
sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS
A per-download watermark and a signed manifest with a published Ed25519 public key are still to come, so verify the published SHA256SUMS manifest and the APK signer instead. Offline activation is part of the 1.1.1 build.
Code signing differs by platform, and each position is stated as it stands:
- Linux (
.deb,.tar.gz): the artifacts are unsigned. Checksums prove integrity only and come from the same origin as the downloads; an origin compromise could replace both. The APK signer is the only authenticity check for this release. - Windows (
.exeinstallers): an Authenticode certificate issued to an individual embeds that person’s legal name and location in every binary. Until a corporate entity exists, Windows builds ship unsigned, withSHA256SUMSso a SmartScreen prompt can be checked by hash. - macOS (
.dmg): distributed withSHA256SUMS. Apple Developer ID notarization waits for the same corporate entity.
FAQ
Do I need an account?
No. There is no login, registration or customer database on this site. Your receipt, files and license key come from the seller named at checkout.
Who handles payment, VAT and sales tax?
Polar.sh, our Merchant of Record. It runs checkout, calculates EU/UK VAT and US sales tax, issues invoices and delivers your files. Where a tool page offers Stripe instead, Syntax Forge is the seller for that order and handles its tax and refunds.
What is the refund policy?
If a paid tool fails to run on a supported system and the problem cannot be resolved within 14 days of purchase, you get a full refund. Refunds are requested from the seller named at checkout. The full policy is in the Terms.
How many machines can I install it on?
One named person, on up to two devices at a time. A license file is issued at purchase and verified offline; each machine records its activation locally. The device allowance is a license term the offline check cannot enforce across machines. A reset is requested through Support with your order ID and never means buying again. Read the license.
Can I share, resell or pass on a tool?
No. A license is for one person and may not be redistributed, resold or shared, and its key may not be published. Per-download order watermarks are planned and are not in the 1.1.1 build. Where the law allows resale regardless, as in the EU, the key is reissued to the new owner. Details are on the Licensing page.
How do I get in touch?
Order questions and device resets go through Support with your order ID. Support mail is not connected yet. Billing and refund requests can also go through the seller named on your receipt.