ainovel-cli
ainovel-cli writes a whole novel unattended: an engine drives an architect, writer and editor and resumes after a crash.
- 2,314 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- Apache-2.0
Extended access
Why this level
- The program writes files into the launch directory, stores provider keys in `~/.ainovel/` and sends text to external LLMs, spending paid requests.
Install
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add cli/ainovel-cliDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The program writes files into the launch directory, stores provider keys in `~/.ainovel/` and sends text to external LLMs, spending paid requests.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
An engine for writing long novels automatically. A deterministic Engine routes three autonomous agents (Architect, Writer, Editor) from a fact table and hands contested decisions to a separate Arbiter. One sentence becomes a full book, and every step is checkpointed so work resumes at the right step after a crash. Planning has two levels (volumes and arcs) and unfolds as writing progresses, each chapter gets related earlier chapters recommended and the Editor scores text on seven criteria. You can intervene while it runs and `--headless` suits servers, NAS and CI. OpenRouter, Anthropic, Gemini, OpenAI and others are supported.
Who it is for. Authors and experimenters who want a long manuscript from a short idea and then edit it by hand.
Good fit when
- You need a draft of a 500-chapter novel from a one-line idea.
- The work runs on a server or in CI with no screen, with `ainovel-cli --headless --prompt "..."`.
- You want to change the plot while it writes: you enter an edit and affected chapters are rewritten.
- A crash or restart interrupted the run and starting again from the same folder should resume from a checkpoint.
Not a fit when
- You need publication-ready text with no editing: quality depends on the chosen model.
- The API budget is limited: a long novel consumes many requests.
- You need documentation in a language other than Chinese: the README and interface messages are mostly Chinese.
Example request
Run ainovel-cli in an empty folder headless with the idea "a mystery detective story in a small port" and show where the result lands.Limitations
A language model writes the book and cost for a long novel can be large, so watch your provider bill. Provider keys and base URLs are stored in `~/.ainovel/config.json`. The documentation and interface are mostly Chinese. The README install script runs through `curl | sh` and there is also `go install` and a Docker image. One launch directory is one book and the result lands in `output/novel/`. The license is Apache-2.0.
How to disable. Delete the `ainovel-cli` binary, the `~/.ainovel/` settings folder and the `output/novel/` folder of the book in question.
FAQ
How do I install it?
With `go install github.com/voocel/ainovel-cli/cmd/ainovel-cli@latest` or the README's `install.sh` script. A Docker image and `docker compose run --rm ainovel` exist too.
How do I run without the interface?
With `ainovel-cli --headless --prompt "..."` or `--prompt-file prompt.txt`. Run the program once first to configure a provider.
What happens after a crash?
Every successful step is written to a checkpoint. Launching from the same folder resumes at the plan, draft, check or commit step.
Which models are supported?
OpenRouter, Anthropic, Gemini, OpenAI and others: providers and models are added with `/config` and switched with `/model`.
Can I approve chapters one by one?
Yes, `/review on` enables per-chapter approval: each `/next` lets exactly one new chapter through.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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README in short
The Chinese README describes an engine with three agents and an Arbiter, one-time provider setup, TUI and headless modes and the output structure.