CVForge

CVForge is a CLI that turns a YAML file into a clean, ATS-friendly PDF resume using Typst. Edit your content, rerun the command, and regenerate the same layout locally. Ideal for fast iteration and version control.

Why This Tool?

I created CVForge because I needed a fast, reliable way to build and rebuild my resume without:

• Using Word or clunky desktop apps
• Trusting random online resume builders with my personal data
• Spending time on formatting instead of content

CVForge lets you define your CV once in YAML and regenerate it instantly. Change a job title, add a skill, rebuild — done. 100% local, 100% private.

Installation

Using UV (Recommended)

# Install as a tool
uv tool install cvforge

# Update
uv tool upgrade cvforge

# Uninstall
uv tool uninstall cvforge

Using Pip

# Install
pip install cvforge

# Update
pip install --upgrade cvforge

# Uninstall
pip uninstall cvforge

Usage

# Initialize a complete template cv.yaml
cvforge init

# Generate PDF from your YAML file
cvforge cv.yaml

# List all available fonts
cvforge fonts

# Verify ATS compatibility of generated PDF
cvforge ats-check <file.pdf>

Configuration & YAML Structure

Run cvforge init to generate a complete example cv.yaml file with all fields and compact comments.

Writing cv.yaml

• Keep name, role, and email present and non-empty.
• Keep top-level sections in the order you want them rendered. CVForge renders resume sections in YAML order.
• Use the documented field names and list shapes. Unsupported top-level sections are ignored unless you also customize the Typst template.
• Use __text__ for inline bold emphasis in summaries, bullets, skills, and similar narrative fields.
• Keep facts accurate. Do not add employers, dates, credentials, tools, or metrics unless they are real and supplied.
• Use compact, achievement-focused bullets. One or two pages is usually best for ATS parsing.
• For photos, set photo to a local path relative to the YAML file. Use simple photo-width values such as "2.5cm", "3cm", "2in", or "80pt".
• After editing, build with cvforge cv.yaml and check the PDF with cvforge ats-check cv.pdf.

Below is the full reference:

Inline Bold Formatting

Use double underscores to make text bold in narrative fields (summary, descriptions, skills, etc.):

summary: "Built and scaled __high-throughput APIs__ for fintech workloads."

Features

• Cross-platform: Linux, Windows, macOS
• ATS Compatible: Clean, parseable text + built-in checker (cvforge ats-check)
• Multi-language Headers: Support for EN/TR out of the box
• Typography Choices: 17 available fonts (cvforge fonts)
• Rich Formatting: Inline bolding via __text__, profile photo support
• 100% Local & Private: No cloud storage, no online rendering

Agent Skill

Use the CVForge agent skill to help coding agents create, edit, build, and validate CVForge resumes.

Support

If you find this project useful, consider supporting its development:

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.