CodeForge: Native, node-based, offline visual C++ programming plugin for Unreal Engine

CodeForge: Visual C++ Code Generator for Unreal Engine 5

Design classes visually. Generate production-ready C++. Skip the boilerplate.

CodeForge is a node-based editor plugin that lets you define UE5 classes, structs, enums, and interfaces in a visual graph — then generates fully UHT-compliant, compile-ready .h and .cpp files at the click of a button.

See it on GitHub

Read the manual

Get the Pro version on Fab

Why CodeForge?

Every Unreal C++ class starts with the same ceremony: macro declarations, include chains, replication boilerplate, specifier strings you've typed a thousand times. CodeForge eliminates that friction while keeping you in full control of the output.

Visual Graph ──▶ Template Engine ──▶ .h / .cpp on disk ──▶ Compile

You design the shape of your code visually. CodeForge handles the syntax.

Core Features

◆ Node-Based Class Designer

Build your C++ types by connecting nodes in an intuitive graph editor. Eight node types cover the full UE5 type system:

Class, Struct, Enum, Interface, Property, Function, RPC, Delegate.

Connect member nodes to type nodes via typed pins. The schema enforces correct connections: properties connect to classes and structs, RPCs only to actor-derived classes.

◈ Live Code Preview

A split-pane preview panel shows the generated .h and .cpp in real time as you edit. Every change in the graph instantly reflects in the preview: no guesswork about what the output will look like.

◇ Full Replication Scaffolding

Check a single box and CodeForge generates the entire replication setup:

• bReplicates = true in the constructor
• GetLifetimeReplicatedProps() override with per-property DOREPLIFETIME_CONDITION()
• All 15 UE5 replication conditions (CONDOwnerOnly, COND_InitialOnly, CONDSimulatedOnly, ...)
• OnRep_ functions for RepNotify properties
• Server/Client/NetMulticast RPCs with Implementation and Validate stubs

Networking code that normally takes 15 minutes of careful copy-paste: generated correctly in seconds.

◆ Smart Validation with Auto-Fix

Real-time validation runs on every edit and displays errors and warnings directly on graph nodes:

Check Example Duplicate names Two properties both named Health C++ keyword conflicts Property named class or return UE5 naming conventions Bool not prefixed with b, wrong class prefix Type corrections Float ➜ float, String ➜ FString, Vector ➜ FVector Context errors RPC on a non-Actor class, RepNotify without Replicated Enum integrity Duplicate entries, empty enums

Many warnings include one-click auto-fixes — click to correct the b prefix, fix a type name, or add the proper class prefix.

◈ Customizable Template Engine

Code generation is driven by .cft template files using a clean Handlebars-like syntax.

Override any template. Point Custom Template Path in Project Settings to your own .cft files and CodeForge uses them instead — brand your headers, add team conventions, or restructure the output however you like.

◇ Structural Change Detection + Live Coding

CodeForge maintains a generation manifest and classifies each regeneration:

• Structural change (new properties, renamed functions) ➜ hot reload required
• Behavioral change (function body edits) ➜ triggers Live Coding automatically

This means editing function bodies through CodeForge and recompiling can happen without leaving the editor.

◆ Custom Thumbnails in Content Browser

Every CodeForge blueprint asset gets a unique, auto-rendered thumbnail:

• Color-coded by type (blue for classes, green for structs, amber for enums, cyan for interfaces)
• Shows the kind letter, subtype label, and member count
• Colors sync with your node color settings — retheme the graph, and the thumbnails follow

◈ Drag-and-Drop Type Assignment

Drag a CodeForge Struct or Enum asset from the Content Browser directly onto a Property node: the property type and include path are filled in automatically. No manual typing of FMyStruct or figuring out include paths.

◇ RPG Starter Kit Examples

Hit the Examples button to generate a complete set of six interconnected assets: each of them fully configured with properties, functions, replication, and cross-references — ready to generate and compile as a starting point for any project.

Supported Class Types

CodeForge covers 11 UE5 base class types out of the box:

AActor | APawn | ACharacter | UActorComponent | USceneComponent | UObject | AGameModeBase | AGameStateBase | APlayerController | APlayerState | AHUD

Plus USTRUCT, UENUM, and UINTERFACE — covering the vast majority of gameplay C++ types.

CodeForge — because life's too short to type GetLifetimeReplicatedProps by hand.