Moving Forge kernel issue data across a boundary: project the backlog to a git-committable snapshot (and hydrate it back), or import an existing issue store into the kernel. This is data portability — distinct from schema/database migrations and from the cloud backend sync (forge sync).

Export / re-import the backlog

forge export                     # write the kernel backlog to git-tracked JSONL (deterministic)
forge export --dir <path>        # choose the projection directory
forge export --dry-run           # show what would be written, change nothing
forge export --import            # read the committed JSONL snapshot back INTO the kernel (hydrate)

forge export is the D16 portability projection: a deterministic, git-committable snapshot of the backlog you can review in a diff and carry between machines or checkouts. forge export --import is the reverse — it hydrates the kernel from that on-disk snapshot; a re-import that finds everything already present reports "already hydrated" rather than claiming it imported anything.

Migrate in from Beads (or preview v2→v3)