CharacterArc is not just a "conversational AI shell", but a desktop workbench built around novel project organization, chapter writing, and AI collaboration.
🏠 Local-First
Project data is stored in a local SQLite database; no reliance on online services, giving you full control over your writing.
📦 Project Isolation
Each project independently maintains its settings, chapters, knowledge base, and AI execution logs, ensuring no cross-interference.
📖 Chapter-Oriented
Outlines, inspiration, knowledge, and AI capabilities are all designed to ultimately serve the creation of chapters.
🧩 Skill-Driven
AI calls can automatically match built-in or project-level Skill packages based on tasks, with support for Agent Loop scheduling.
🌐 Multi-Provider Integration
Supports all OpenAI-compatible interfaces (DeepSeek, Qwen, Zhipu, Kimi, SiliconFlow, Ollama, etc.) and the Anthropic protocol (official and relays). Simply select the protocol and enter the address.
🚀 Feature Overview
📂 Projects & Resources
- Project Center: Create, view, edit, and delete novel projects.
- New Project Wizard: Fill in genre, length, and synopsis; call AI to generate initial settings and outlines.
- Novel Workflow Panel: Maintain workflow documents by volume; supports deconstructing reference works.
- Knowledge Center: Accumulate project facts, workflow documents, reference materials, and style analysis results.
- Skill System: Enable built-in Skills or import additional Skill packages for individual projects.
🌍 Worldbuilding & Structure
- Worldview / Character / Organization / Relationship Management: Maintain foundational assets for the novel.
- Relationship Maps: Visualize character relationships and organizational connections (via Cytoscape).
- Plot Outline: Dual-column interlaced timeline layout; organize plot nodes by volume with drag-and-drop sorting and AI expansion.
- Plot Leads: Assist in maintaining foreshadowing, suspense, and payoff plans.
✍️ Chapter Creation
- Three-Column Layout: Directory tree + Main editor + AI sidebar.
- Rich Text Editing: Based on TipTap; supports search-and-replace, formatting, and selection-based actions.
- Auto-Save & History: Automatic disk saving during editing; supports manual snapshots and rollbacks.
- Reading Mode / Focus Mode: Check pacing by reading in a format closer to the final manuscript.
- Word Count Goals: Set target word counts per chapter and track progress.
- Export: Export chapter text as .txt / .docx; export the entire workspace as a JSON snapshot.
🤖 AI Assistance
- Polishing, continuation, rewriting, and pacing adjustments for chapters.
- Generation of chapter summaries, identification of foreshadowing, and subsequent plot chain generation.
- Streaming AI first-draft generation, scene planning, and chapter analysis.
- Inspiration generation packages and in-depth deconstruction of reference works.
- Agent Loop Mode: Allows the model to think iteratively based on Skill indexes and tool registries.
- Task Progress Panel: A unified view of current and historical AI tasks.
🎨 Cover Workbench
- Generate cover prompts tailored for platforms (Fanqie, Qidian, Jinjiang, Zhihu, Qimao, Ciweimao, etc.).
- Call image models to generate previews and compare historical versions within the workbench.
Publisher’s description
What is CharacterArc?
CharacterArc by zhouyeshan is open-source Windows software in the ai assistants & llms category. It is written in TypeScript.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 64-bit and ARM64 Windows. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.22.5, released on October 24, 2026. The version history goes back to June 11, 2026: 30 releases, all linked to the official files. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (uu201/character-arc) has 591 stars. Similar programs include Claude Code, Codex CLI and ChatGPT.
Project description on GitHub: “CharacterArc(弧光) AI 小说创作应用，集项目设定、角色关系、剧情大纲、章节写作与多模型 AI 协作于一体”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Updated in the last two months
In short: CharacterArc is an open-source ai assistants & llm tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is CharacterArc safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
0C343F7156B4156DA7C253511DAA7553E05A1D49F926D4FD3A602161D1471BC2· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 30 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.22.5Latest | October 24, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.22.0 | October 9, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.21.2 | October 3, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.21.1 | October 2, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.21.0 | October 2, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.20.0 | September 28, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.19.3 | September 20, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.19.2 | September 9, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id uu201.CharacterArc -eCharacterArc-1.22.5-x64-setup.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- zhouyeshan
- Category
- AI assistants & LLMs
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/uu201/character-arc
- Written in
- TypeScript
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Version
- 1.22.5
- Released
- October 24, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- June 18, 2026
- Versions listed
- 30
- GitHub stars
- 591
- GitHub forks
- 84
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- uu201.CharacterArc
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is CharacterArc free?
Yes. CharacterArc is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is CharacterArc safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install CharacterArc with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can CharacterArc be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does CharacterArc run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of CharacterArc?
The versions page lists all 30 versions with links to their official installer files, back to June 11, 2026.
Can I use CharacterArc without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to CharacterArc?
Claude Code, Codex CLI, ChatGPT, GPT4All and Jan. The alternatives page compares them.
