How Orbit works

What is Orbit?

Orbit is Forion’s browser-based app builder: you describe what you want in plain language, and Orbit generates a real React + TypeScript + Tailwind project, runs it in your browser, and keeps iterating with you.

Everything runs in the browser using a WebContainer—a sandboxed Node.js environment—so you get a full dev server and live preview without installing toolchains locally.

Under the hood, specialized AI steps plan the work, compose the UI, apply changes safely, and recover when something breaks. You stay in one flow: prompt, preview, refine.

• Production-style stack: React, Vite, Tailwind, shadcn-style components
• Live preview with hot reload while Orbit edits the project
• Clarifying questions when your prompt needs detail before building

Workspace overview

The Orbit workspace brings chat, generated code, terminal output, and preview together so you always see cause and effect.

Start from the landing input or open an existing project from your dashboard. Each project has its own workspace: a chat thread on one side drives changes; the preview shows the running app; a terminal surfaces install and build logs when needed.

As you iterate, Orbit streams progress—thoughts, tasks, and file-level updates—so long generations stay understandable.

• Switch devices or preview targets when the UI exposes device frames
• Project history helps you return to earlier directions without losing context

How generation works

Your prompt moves through a structured pipeline: intent and design direction, a plan of tasks, UI composition, then controlled file edits and commands—each stage is validated before the app runs.

Orbit treats code as structure, not only text: patches go through checks for imports, routing mistakes, and common breakages. When the terminal reports an error, recovery paths try fast fixes first, then deeper repair when necessary.

This is why short, specific prompts work well—and why answering Orbit’s follow-up questions often saves a rebuild.

Live preview & WebContainer

The preview is a real Vite dev server inside the browser tab, powered by WebContainer APIs.

That means npm install, dev server startup, and HMR behave like local development, but isolated to your session. If the server restarts after a big change, the preview reconnects once the new bundle is ready.

• No Docker or Node install required on your machine
• Preview reflects the current generated project state

Credits & billing

Heavy model usage and infrastructure are metered as credits. You can see balance in the product, top up when available, and subscribe to plans that match your usage.

Exact numbers and plan names follow what’s shown in your Orbit billing UI. If something looks off, use the in-app status or support path before retrying a large generation.

Projects, publish & dashboard

Your dashboard lists projects you own. From there you can reopen a workspace, review history, or use publish/export flows when the product exposes them.

Publishing and sharing options depend on the current Orbit release—look for explicit actions in the workspace or project menu rather than assuming a fixed export path.

Sign-in

Orbit uses standard Forion authentication flows (for example Google or GitHub) so your projects stay tied to your account.

Use one account consistently to avoid splitting projects across identities. Sign out from account menus when using a shared machine.