# TabForge: Code Keyboard — Programming and terminal keys

> Open-source programming keyboard for iOS with coding and editing controls. (iPhone/iPad app by Jeremy Collins.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tabforge-code-keyboard/id6824056795 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Jeremy Collins](https://appshunter.io/developer/1324741658)
- Category: Developer Tools, Utilities
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 27.0 · 9 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-10-19
- Data updated: 2026-10-31
- Monetization: free

## What is TabForge?

TabForge is an open-source programming keyboard for iPhone and iPad. Write code, scripts and terminal commands with punctuation and editing controls beside the letter keys.

Indent a line, move the cursor or insert a saved snippet. The keyboard's gear menu gives you access to settings and code tools in the app you're typing in.

Programming keys
- Type braces, square brackets, angle brackets, parentheses and full ASCII punctuation.
- Choose Tab, two spaces or four spaces, with indent, outdent and automatic newline indentation.
- Use arrows, Escape and Control, Option and Command keys. Their behavior depends on the input profile and host app.
- Hold a key for its digit or related operators, and choose which keys the toolbar shows.
- Save snippets for commands, operators and repeated text.
- Get language suggestions for Swift, Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Shell and JSON.

Layouts for your screen
Phone layouts keep familiar letter keys with coding controls close by. Compact landscape layouts leave more room for the app above the keyboard. Larger iPad and supported Duo layouts show more controls. Choose your key size and keyboard height, follow iOS light and dark appearance, or select a code palette.

Editing and input profiles
Use Code editor for pairing and indentation, Terminal · ANSI for supported control text, or Remote desktop for literal input. Terminal and remote behavior depends on the client: a keyboard extension inserts text and cannot send arbitrary hardware-key events. Line edits need enough context from the host app to verify the change.

Optional English prose autocorrect runs on the device in eligible text fields. Apple's spelling service finds misspellings, and TabForge picks the replacement from a bundled word list and the words around the cursor, weighing where you tapped. It is off by default, skips code-like input and stays inactive in Terminal, Remote desktop and the code playground. Space applies a correction; immediate Delete restores your spelling. An optional Learn my tap positions setting keeps average tap offsets for each key on this device to sharpen corrections. Turning it off erases them.

The companion playground
Edit text with syntax highlighting, line numbers, undo and a share action. The playground does not run code. Its keyboard and layout previews use temporary settings, separate from the installed keyboard.

Voice to code lets you dictate, review spoken punctuation and insert the result. It requires microphone and Speech permission plus available on-device English recognition. Voice input runs in the companion app; iOS controls system Dictation availability.

Optional swipe typing uses a bundled English word list with word frequencies, programming words and names from the text around the cursor, with alternatives in the gear menu. It works offline, is off by default and remains experimental. Tap typing works better for some identifiers.

Optional support
TabForge is free. If you would like to support its development, the companion app's Tip Jar offers optional one-time purchases through Apple. Tips unlock no features and are not subscriptions.

Open source and privacy
TabForge is MIT licensed, with source and privacy details linked in the companion app. The keyboard does not log or transmit keystrokes. There are no ads, analytics or accounts.

Keyboard preferences, custom snippets and optional tap learning are saved in the keyboard's own container. Configure them from its gear menu; they are not shared with the companion app. Full Access is not requested. The companion playground saves its draft separately. Apps you type into, Apple system services, device backups and destinations you choose when sharing have their own data practices.

Requires iOS or iPadOS 27.0 or later. Duo-specific layouts require 27.1. iOS uses its system keyboard in secure and phone fields, and some apps decline third-party keyboards.

## Key features

- Programming and punctuation keys
- Cursor movement and editing controls
- Customizable indentations and newlines
- Save and insert code snippets
- Language suggestions for popular languages
- Multiple layout options for phone and iPad
- Optional swipe typing and voice-to-code

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Extraordinary Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Wonderful Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Thoughtful Tip | $1.99 | one-time |


## Is TabForge safe?

Not enough ratings yet to assess TabForge.

## Is TabForge legit?

TabForge: Code Keyboard appears legitimate, with a few gaps. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for TabForge is 75 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data.


## Frequently asked questions about TabForge

### What is TabForge?

TabForge is an open-source programming keyboard for iPhone and iPad designed to streamline the process of writing code, scripts, and terminal commands. It provides dedicated keys for programming symbols and editing functions directly on the keyboard.

### Does TabForge have ads?

No, TabForge is ad-free. The application does not contain advertisements, ensuring an uninterrupted coding experience.

### What programming languages does TabForge suggest?

TabForge offers language suggestions for Swift, Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Shell, and JSON, helping developers write code more efficiently.

### Can I save custom text or commands in TabForge?

Yes, TabForge allows you to save snippets for frequently used commands, operators, and repeated text, which can then be easily inserted into your code or terminal.

### What devices does TabForge support?

TabForge is compatible with both iPhone and iPad devices, offering tailored layouts for each.

### Is TabForge free to use?

Yes, TabForge is free to use. While it is free, there is an optional Tip Jar in the companion app for users who wish to support its development through one-time purchases.

### How often is TabForge updated?

TabForge was last updated on October 22, 2026, with version 1.0.1. As an open-source project, updates are driven by its development community.

### What is the age rating for TabForge?

TabForge has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users.

## Version history (last 3 releases)

### 1.1.0 — 2026-10-27

Autocorrect now weighs where you tapped and how common each word is, and leaves names used nearby in your text alone. It remains optional and off by default.

A new option, Learn my tap positions, sharpens autocorrect over time. It is off by default, keeps only average tap offsets for each key on this device, and erases them when you turn it off.

Hold a top-row letter to type its digit, or hold a symbol key to choose a related operator. Slide away to cancel.

Choose which keys the toolbar shows in Layout & keys. In full layouts, Escape now comes first.

Keys play the system click sound when Keyboard Clicks is on in iOS Settings, with a toggle to silence TabForge. Haptics now have Light, Medium and Strong strengths.

The return key shows the app's label, such as Send or Search. In Code editor fields that ask for sentence capitals, Shift can turn on at sentence starts and a quick double Space can type a period.

Swipe typing and suggestions share the new word list and can produce names already in your text.

Rows fit short screens better, including a closed Duo, and the bottom keys follow rounded display corners. In tabletop pose, the editing row no longer repeats toolbar keys.

### 1.0.1 — 2026-10-22

You can now support TabForge from Settings > Tip Jar in the companion app. Choose an optional one-time tip, with prices shown in your local currency. All app and keyboard features remain free to use.

You can also find Paper & Grain in Other Apps.

### 1.0 — 2026-10-19

No release notes.

## Apps similar to TabForge

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [PostPique](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/postpique/id6749191597) | — | Free | Developer Tools |
| [Machete DGX](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/machete-dgx/id6778950085) | — | Free | Developer Tools |
| [Neuro — Local Fine-Tune](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/neuro-local-fine-tune/id6786251266) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Developer Tools |
| [JSONPad - JSON Viewer & Editor](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jsonpad-json-viewer-and-editor/id6808022749) | — | Free | Developer Tools |
| [Ledge Notebook](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ledge-notebook/id6813315782) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Developer Tools |
| [JSON Formatter Simple Parsing](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/json-formatter-simple-parsing/id6757746669) | — | Free | Developer Tools |

## More apps by Jeremy Collins

- [Codable](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codable/id1324741659)
- [Taktung: Deployment Status](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/taktung-deployment-status/id6805738660)
- [Paper & Grain](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paper-and-grain/id6821361967)

All apps by Jeremy Collins: https://appshunter.io/developer/1324741658

## Related topics

[scripts keyboard](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/scripts-keyboard)

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-10-31.*